Ardern popularity up after mosque attacks

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has jumped to her highest popularity levels ever after widespread praise for her handling of the Christchurch mosque shootings.

In the first major poll taken since the March 15 terror attack, Ardern's rating as preferred prime minister has risen to 51 per cent of surveyed New Zealand voters.

Her nearest rival, opposition and National Party leader Simon Bridges, was at 5 per cent in the 1 News Colmar Brunton poll - one of the country's two major media-run polls - released on Monday.

In February, the same survey had Ardern at 44 per cent, compared to Bridges on 6 per cent.

Meanwhile, her Labour Party was at 48 per cent, compared to 45 per cent two months ago, and National on 40 per cent.

The 38-year-old prime minister received significant praise both across New Zealand's domestic political spectrum and internationally for her compassionate leadership style after the attack left 50 dead.

Her government has since also banned a wide-range of semi-automatic weapons, with swiftly passed legislation almost unanimously supported by Kiwi lawmakers.
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The poll was conducted between April 6 and April 10, surveying 1009 voters. It has a margin of error of 3.1 per cent at a 95 per cent confidence level.

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