Sussan Ley’s Liberal Party records historically bad result in first Newspoll since election

The latest Newspoll shows the Coalition’s support has fallen to a four-decade low, as Anthony Albanese’s Labor Party continues to dominate.

The latest Newspoll shows the Coalition’s support has fallen to a four-decade low, as Anthony Albanese’s Labor Party continues to enjoy a post-election bounce.

The survey, conducted on behalf of The Australian, has Labor in a strong position despite the Prime Minister’s weak approval rating.

It’s the first such poll since the election in May.

Anthony Albanese. Picture: Joseph Obrycht-Palmer/NewsWire

Liberal leader Sussan Ley. Picture: John Gass/NewsWire

At that election earlier this year, the two-party preferred vote ended at 55 per cent for Labor and 49 per cent for the Coalition, which yielded 94 Labor seats and a mere 43 for the official opposition.

That gap in the two-party preferred measure has now expanded to 57-43.

Of particular concern for the Coalition is its primary vote, which now stands at 29 per cent, even lower than its worst ever mark at an election. It recorded a primary vote of 32 per cent when Australians voted in May.

Mr Albanese’s approval rating is still slightly underwater, with 47 per cent of voters approving of his performance.

Liberal leader Sussan Ley has an approval rating of 35 per cent, though more than a fifth of voters have yet to form a firm opinion of her.

According to The Australian, no lower primary vote result has been recorded for the combined Liberal and National vote since Newspoll started recording the relevant data in 1985.

The results suggest Sussan Ley is in some trouble. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Parliament is set to resume at last this week, for the first time since the election.

Ahead of that landmark in her new role as Leader of the Opposition, Ms Ley was interviewed by The Australian Women’s Weekly earlier this month.

Most notably, during the interview she recalled an encounter with a stranger during a drive from Sydney to the town Thargomindah, in rural Queensland.

“The person lifted the visor on their helmet and said, ‘Ah, you’re here all by yourself, are you?’” she recounted. The man had arrived on a motorbike.

Ms Ley, on alert, pulled out a semiautomatic rifle, which had been purchased legally.

“I’m here with my tall skinny mate,” she said.

At which point the man drove away, while Ms Ley was left with her “heart pounding”.

Sussan Ley. Picture: Martin Ollman/NewsWire

Meanwhile a senior Labor minister has hit back at the opposition for criticising Mr Albanese’s lengthy state visit to China, saying the relationship with Australia’s biggest trading partner had “broken down” on the Coalition’s watch.

The Prime Minister spent much of the last week touting Australia’s tourism, trade and research offerings in Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu as part of a five-day business and diplomatic blitz.

But the opposition has argued the trip did not produce any tangible outcomes, despite several agreements being signed.

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said on Sunday she found the “criticism quite extraordinary considering that since we came to government we have removed some $20 billion of trade impediments with China”.

China imposed trade restrictions during a trade war with the Morrison government.

“We now have in everything from wine to lobster, not to mention the fact that China is our single biggest trading partner,” Ms Rowland told Sky News.

“Our resources sector relies on that relationship.”

She noted that Mr Albanese’s visit was “at the invitation … of China”.

“He went with a significant business delegation,” Ms Rowland.

“This is about creating jobs and extra trade opportunities for Australia, and it’s important that we maintain this vital relationship.”

Originally published as Sussan Ley’s Liberal Party records historically bad result in first Newspoll since election