After 6 months in power, Labour has fallen 5 percentage points to 43 while National has climbed one percent to 43 in the latest Colmar Brunton poll.
Senior lecturer of Te Ara Poutama at Auckland University of Technology, Ella Henry says, "The reality is that they're only six months in. They've got two and a half years before they face the electorate again so they have a lot of time to redeem themselves".
"I think the main concern of the low polling of Labour at the moment is the impact on the Northcote by-election where, interestingly, we have two bright young Māori male candidates for Labour and National.
"The drop in Labour's polling might affect those sitting on the fence in Northcote and I think Labour could do with a win in Northcote, taking it back again, because it would be a moral high ground for them".
Getting past some tough times, with allegations of sexual abuse at a young Labour summer camp, the RNZ saga with the broadcasting minister and the inclusion of a fuel tax haven't helped Labour to stay on side with the public.
Henry says, "This coalition government is really spread equally across all of the three, quite different, political parties and political philosophies. Supporters are probably concerned about what they might perceive to be a lack of action for the very strong set of strategies they hope to implement".
And Henry thinks the coalition still has some way to go.
"Keep in mind that this coalition government are still working out how they achieve the individual objectives of each party," she says.
While National may be ahead in the polls, Labour supporters can take comfort in the thought Jacinda Adern is still the preferred prime minister.