Newspoll: Voters’ harsh verdict on Labor as cost of living bites

A Newspoll has revealed any electoral benefit gained from Labor’s tax cut backflip has faded ahead of the May budget.

Labor is drifting toward minority government at the next federal election as cost-of-living pressures erode its lead over the ­Coalition.

An exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian shows Labor’s primary-vote support has fallen by a point to 32 per cent, making it lower now than it was at the last election.

The latest development is the worst result for the ­Albanese government since last November’s backlash following the failed ­Voice referendum, The Australian reports.

The fall suggests that any electoral benefit gained from Labor’s tax cut backflip in January has faded ahead of the May budget.

The Newspoll surveyed 1223 voters nationally between March 18 and 22.

In the contest on which leader would make the better prime minister, the numbers remained largely unaltered, The Australian reports.

Mr Albanese rose a point to 48 per cent while Opposition Leader Peter Dutton fell a point to 34 per cent with 18 per cent of voters claiming they didn’t know.

The Coalition’s primary vote lifted a point to 37 per cent, which is almost two points higher than the May 2022 election result, The Australian reports.

However, it is still too but still too low to form government if repeated at an election.

In the Newspoll, 31 per cent of voters nominated anyone other than the major parties.

This move was mirrored in the Tasmanian state election on ­Saturday, with neither the Liberal Party nor Labor winning enough seats for a majority government.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The Greens lifted a point to 13 per cent while Pauline Hanson’s One Nation also rose a point to 7 per cent.

Support for other minor parties and independents, including teals, has fallen two points to 11 per cent, The Australian reports.

The trend away from the major parties continues with combined support for Labor and the Coalition at 69 per cent.

Labor’s two-party-preferred lead over the Coalition has been reduced two points to 51-49 per cent, the Newspoll revealed.

Since the previous poll conducted in late February, the government has faced repeated calls to do more on cost of living beyond the tax cuts that were announced before the Dunkley by-election in outer south-east Melbourne, The Australian reports.

Other issues have since challenged the government, including energy policy, the vehicle emissions tax, the housing crisis and migration.

Originally published as Newspoll: Voters’ harsh verdict on Labor as cost of living bites