WELLINGTON, May 1 (Xinhuanet) -- A seemingly bullet-proof Labor continues to hold a comfortable lead on its opposition, despite a tough month for the government, the Sunday Star-Times-BRC poll showed Sunday.

    The nationwide poll of 750 people, conducted between April 14 and 24, shows Labor's support up two percentage points since March to 43 percent. National's support is up one point to 35 percent.

    New Zealand will hold the three-year election by the end of September and the Labor has been leading the poll since it captured the administrative power almost six years before.

    NZ First's support is unchanged on 7 percent, the Greens are down one point to 6 percent, Act is up one to 4 percent, and United Future and the Maori Party are down one to 2 percent, according to the poll.

    The poll news comes after a tough month for the government. It included a slump in business confidence, a sharp drop in the share market, and the police porn scandal.

    Labor leader Prime Minister Helen Clark's popularity took a slight dip in the preferred prime minister poll, falling two points to 54 percent, and National leader Don Brash was up four points to 26 percent.

    Translated into seats in parliament, using the Electoral Commission's online calculator, the poll would give Labor 55 seats, National 45, NZ First nine, the Greens eight, the Maori Party five,United Future three and the Progressives one.

    That would mean a 126-seat parliament, with an overhang of six seats, meaning the government would have to secure 64 seats to command a majority.

    It could do so with the support of the Progressives and NZ First or the Greens, said the Sunday Star Times. Enditem