Polls point to hung Parliament ahead of final debate

Neither a National coalition nor a Labour coalition would have enough seats to govern, according to the latest Post/Freshwater Strategy poll.

The survey of 1,458 voters put National on 27.6 percent and left Parliament on a knife-edge, with the Opportunity Party narrowly making it in as kingmaker, RNZ reported.

A separate 1News-Verian poll also released on 20 October had National on 32 percent, up four points, RNZ reported.

The latest figures follow a run of close polls. An October poll put Labour on 29.7 percent, just ahead of National, and the Opportunity Party on 5.4 percent, close to the 5 percent threshold to enter Parliament, according to the New Zealand Herald. Earlier polls reported by Stuff on 16 October and Newstalk ZB on 13 October had also placed Opportunity in the kingmaker position, with the two major parties tied in the earlier survey.

Attention now turns to the final leaders' debate between Labour leader Chris Hipkins and National leader Christopher Luxon. RNZ reported the final 'Chris vs Chris' debate was hosted by Stuff and scheduled to start at 7:30pm.

The two leaders had already met in a TVNZ leaders' debate, and Sky had scheduled a debate between Luxon and Hipkins for Wednesday, 14 October.

New Zealand votes in the general election on 7 November.