Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will host his weekly post-Cabinet press conference this afternoon – one year on from the 2023 election that thrust his party into Government with coalition partners NZ First and Act.

The press conference will be live-streamed at the top of this article from 4pm.

Luxon is fresh back from a trip to Laos for the East Asia Summit (EAS) where he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time as he continues his efforts to secure a free trade agreement (FTA) with the populous Asian nation.

STORY CONTINUES AFTER LIVE BLOG

STORY CONTINUES

During the election campaign a year ago, Luxon promised a deal would be secured in his first term.

1News Verian poll results released today show 30% of people think the country is in better shape than on election day a year ago, 40% think it is in worse shape and 26% think little has changed.

1News says the full poll results will be released tonight.

As 1News reported, one question in the poll had asked about the shape of the country a year on: “do you think the country is in a worse shape or a better shape or no different than it was before the election?”

In response, 40% said it was in worse shape, 30% said in better shape and 26% said no different. Just 4% did not know or refused to say.

This is the second political poll to be released in a matter of days. On Friday, the Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll for October showed National’s support had dropped and Labour’s increased as the gap between the two parties closed.

While National support dropped 4.1 percentage points to 34.9% – its lowest result in 15 months from the polling outfit – Labour’s 30.3% result was up 3.6 points on the last poll in September.

Luxon himself was down 5 percentage points to 27.7% in the preferred PM rankings and Labour leader Chris Hipkins jumped 4.3 points to 16.9%.

The poll, conducted between October 3 and 7, came amid protest action against the Government’s decision concerning the redevelopment of Dunedin Hospital and its progression of fast-track consenting legislation.

Asked about the dipping poll result while in Laos, Luxon said “I just don’t care.”

“Whether we go up or down in the polls, as you know, I have the same position, which is I just don’t care.

“I’m focused on making sure I deliver for New Zealanders and we’ve got a plan – our plan is starting to work – and my job is to demonstrate to New Zealanders for 2026 that the country’s in better hands and is in a better place as a result of our Government.”

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.