N.Z. Labour Party Adds Support as Economy Expands (Update1)

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Dec. 6 (Bloomberg) -- New Zealand's governing Labour Party extended its lead over the main opposition National Party, buoyed by rising consumer confidence and an expanding economy, according to a poll conducted for TV3 News in Auckland.

Voter support for Labour rose to its highest level this year at 46 percent from 45 percent in October. National support fell to 32 percent from 33 percent, according to the results of the bi-monthly poll, which were e-mailed to Bloomberg News.

New Zealand's economy expanded 5.7 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, the fastest pace in more than four years, according to a government report last month. Consumers are more confident about finding and retaining jobs and about the outlook for the economy, according to the poll.

The proportion of people expecting the economy to improve in the next three months rose to 51 percent from 46 percent in October. That's the highest since November last year. The proportion expecting the economy will get worse fell to 19 percent, the lowest since June 2002.

Bloomberg