The acting prime minister is defending an attack ad aimed at National leader Christopher Luxon that was launched on the same night a new poll saw Labour lose support.
Acting Prime Minister Grant Robertson and National leader Christopher Luxon. Photo: RNZ
The latest 1News Kantar Public Poll has National steady at 39 percent while Labour drops 2 points to 35 percent of the vote.
But a new advert released on Labour's social media said in the six months Luxon had been leader, he was yet to announce any new policies.
Robertson said it was important the government held the opposition to account too.
"Well the policy I've seen them release was a reheated one from Simon Bridges where the highest income earners in New Zealand got a tax cut when we're coming off the back of a one in 100 year shock for Covid - that's not a new policy, that's a reheated old policy."
Luxon said he was yet to see the advert.
"I actually haven't seen them. But the point for me is that the reality is the cost of living crisis is the number one issue.
"I would have thought as a government you'd be spending your time waking up each morning coming to this place and working out how you unblock things like immigration settings, removing bureaucracy that's slowing things up in this economy - that's where I'd sooner they spent their time and their money - but if they want to attack me that's fine."
Luxon said he has not been focusing on the polls.
"We don't get too focused on polls, we've just got to focus on doing our job as a National Party, which is talking about the things that matter most."
He said that includes strengthening the party's response to the rising cost of living, law and order issues and New Zealand's contributions to Ukraine.