Opportunity's poll result: 'We won't be compromising on our values'

Opportunity Party's latest poll result has set a cat amongst the pigeons at Parliament, with both sides of the House sowing fears about the other being picked.

Winston Peters has dismissed the party - which has openly stated plans to replace New Zealand First as kingmaker - as "consultants".

The Greens say the party is "conceding" to National over conservation, and claim their own policies have been stolen.

The hubbub was prompted by Tuesday night's 1News-Verian poll showing both National and Labour down, with their lowest collective result since the first MMP election in 1996.

Opportunity gained 1.6 points to 4.6 percent - only 0.4 percentage points off the 5 percent threshold that would guarantee a spot in Parliament without an electorate seat.

Leader Qiulae Wong says the responses demonstrate the "tribalism" plaguing New Zealand politics.

Responding to the poll on Wednesday, National leader Christopher Luxon said his party had already made clear which parties it would work with, saying Opportunity "looks like a vote for Labour and the Greens".

"They want a land tax, they want to make every New Zealander a beneficiary with the Universal Basic Income... I haven't looked at them too closely but it looks like a vote for Labour and the Greens frankly."

He said he had "run into" the party's leadership from time to time, and pressed on whether he would work with them if he needed to, he said: "I haven't given them any thought, they're not in Parliament, but it does look very much like a Labour-Greens agenda."

Labour's Carmel Sepuloni would not say whether the party would work with Opportunity or not.

"Labour's focused on getting as many votes as we can get," she said, "the other political parties, their policies are their policies... we're in this to win the election and so we're focused on what we're doing.

"The one that we have ruled out, obviously, is National. We're focused on taking our proposition to the general public and trying to win the support of as many New Zealanders as we possibly can."

She said Labour would rule parties in or out closer to the election.

Peters was dismissive.

"Oh look, look, look, look it's a party of consultants," he said. "It sounds fantastic until the invoices come in."

Wong said that was "classic Winston".

"Quite resistant to change - doesn't come easily to him - and yeah, I suppose having a new voice that is looking to shake things up and really make some progress in New Zealand is a bit different for him."

Greens co-leader Marama Davidson on Tuesday had backed some of Opportunity's policies, but after the poll said those "would be the ones that they copied of the Green Party, I suspect".

"They're not even in Parliament yet, and they're already conceding to the National Party and failing to properly protect public conservation lands.

"I think that tells the people if they really want to vote for change and achieve change, it is the Greens who are being really clear about where we stand on protecting people and protecting the environment."

She said people could see Opportunity was "willing to make Luxon the king again".

Wong told RNZ those perspectives showed "the problem with politics in New Zealand at the moment, that we are spending more time trying to tear down the other team than we are trying to find common ground, or look how we can work together to make our country a better place".

She said Opportunity had a lot in common with the Greens on environmental protection, but "we've got some more unique policies around innovation" and being willing to work with either side gave them a better chance of driving change and protecting the environment.

"I think that it's a real shame that they've ruled out working with anyone on the other side, because they've lost an opportunity to further environmental protection and make sure that that endures beyond political cycles.

"We won't be compromising on our values, and we'll walk away if we have to, but we will be pushing really hard to advocate for the things that voters are supporting us for."

She said the response from the other parties did not put her off entering Parliament, if she was able to find common ground and make gains.

"Call me optimistic, but I genuinely believe what we are standing for."