Anthony Albanese has suffered another setback as Peter Dutton’s popularity continues to rise, with a new poll showing they are almost tied as Australia’s preferred prime minister.
The Australian Financial Review and Freshwater Strategy poll, released on Monday, found Albanese has lost his lead over opposition leader Peter Dutton.
According to the survey, 44 percent of respondents now prefer Albanese as prime minister, while 43 percent favor Dutton.
The latest findings are in stark contrast to Albanese’s first six months in office in December 2023, in which he led by a whopping 55 percent to 29 percent.
Additionally, the poll shows the Coalition has led Labor in two-party preference voting for the third month in a row, with 51 per cent support compared to Labour’s 49 per cent.
This reflects a swing of more than three percentage points against the Labor Party since the last election.
If this is repeated at the next election, Labor could lose up to eight seats, reducing its total to 70, while the Coalition could gain up to 10 seats, increasing its current 58 seats, paving the way for a Coalition minority government.
A poll of Australian voters has revealed that Anthony Albanese has lost his lead over opposition leader Peter Dutton as preferred prime minister.
The survey also found that the Coalition has led Labor in two-party preference voting for the third month in a row (opposition leader Peter Dutton pictured).
Meanwhile, Labor’s primary vote held steady at 30 per cent, while the Coalition’s fell slightly by one point to 41 per cent. The Greens’ primary vote was unchanged at 13 percent.
The poll, conducted Friday through Sunday with 1,034 voters, found that Albanese’s recent $4.3 million property purchase had little impact on his personal popularity.
Respondents were asked whether the Prime Minister’s purchase of the luxurious four-bedroom house in Copacabana, on the New South Wales Central Coast, had “changed their view of Albanese or had no impact on their view of him” .
More than half, 52 percent, said their opinion of Albanese had not changed, while 36 percent said their opinion had worsened.
Respondents were asked whether Albanese’s (pictured) recent purchase of a luxury home had changed their opinion of the Prime Minister.
Voters also rated the government’s handling of national issues, including the cost of living, housing, management of the economy, health and social care, crime and social order, and the environment and climate change.
Respondents found the Coalition to be the best party to manage them, having a sizeable double-digit lead on almost all six issues.
The Coalition had a 14-point advantage on the cost of living, a 16-point advantage on economic management, a 19-point advantage on both immigration/asylum and crime/social order.
The opposition also had a massive 20-point lead on defense and national security.