Labour leader Chris Hipkins has declared he is just getting warmed up, as some voters questioned why the energy he brought to a public meeting was not getting cut through outside it.

More than 100 people, plus a pet cat, crowded into a community centre in the Lower Hutt suburb of Naenae on Wednesday night to hear from Hipkins at his first public meeting of this election campaign.

The meeting was held two days after Labour suffered a shocker Taxpayers Union-Curia poll result which saw the party slump to 25.9%.

Hipkins received a warm reception and many of his answers were met with applause.

Labour MP and Hutt South candidate Ginny Andersen introduced Hipkins as "The Right Honourable boy from the Hutt", and he followed with a brief speech about his local roots and what he learned from his parents.

"They believed, as I believe now, you should be able to get ... ahead through your own hard work.”

But for too many Hutt Valley families, that was not the case, Hipkins said.

"They're working harder than ever ... and it's not enough."

Hipkins told the room Labour would help them get ahead and promoted its flagship cost of living policies such as three free GP visits and the public transport fare cap.

For just under an hour the crowd threw up the full gamut of questions, canvassing healthcare, housing, beneficiary support, local government, climate change, pay equity, fuel tax, and the new water entity Tiaki Wai.

Hipkins promised Labour policies were imminent on supermarket competition, foodbank support, a bipartisan approach to the school curriculum and benefit eligibility.

One woman stood up to say people she spoke to did not know of Labour's policies.

"Tonight I hear someone with fire in his belly and fire in his voice," she said.

"I don't know why some of that just isn't getting cut through."

Hipkins replied: "Well, you'll be pleased to know I'm just getting warmed up."

He acknowledged that people had not yet heard what Labour had to offer, and said he would be embarking on a busy public meeting circuit over the next eight weeks.

Attendees RNZ spoke to after the meeting were largely impressed with how Hipkins held the room and ably answered questions. But they pointed out it was the first time they had seen that level of performance.

"He certainly spoke with passion, and I think that it's not coming out ... in the media about the clarity of their policies," a supporter said.

Another, who said she would give Hipkins her candidate vote and Opportunity her party vote, was "pleasantly surprised" by Hipkins, describing him as articulate and passionate.

Before that evening, that had not come across at all, she said.

One man told RNZ he was a swing voter who had not been impressed by any party, and the Labour meeting had not changed that position.

"Neither party has really convinced me of the way forward," he said.

The general election will be held on November 7.