Labor retains strong Newspoll lead as Scott Morrison, Anthony Albanese lift approval ratings

With fewer than 100 days until the federal election, the latest Newspoll shows Scott Morrison is facing a huge battle to hang on to power.

With fewer than three months before Australia heads to the polls, Labor is maintaining a strong lead over the Coalition, despite a jump in approval ratings for Scott Morrison.

In the latest Newspoll, published in The Australian, the Coalition’s primary vote has lifted a point to 35 per cent, while Labor remained solid at 41 per cent.

Mr Morrison’s approval rating has lifted three points to 43 per cent compared to the end of January, while his dissatisfaction rating has fallen to 55 per cent.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese – who has come under fire from the government for being “soft on China” – had his approval rating rise four points to 44 per cent.

Mr Albanese’s dissatisfaction rating fell three points to 43 per cent. This is the first net-positive approval number in almost a year.

Scott Morrison is still the preferred Prime Minister according to the latest Newspoll. Picture: NCA Newswire/Gary Ramage

The gap between the two men for preferred Prime Minister has narrowed to two per cent, with Mr Morrison still ahead on 42 per cent, while the uncommitted vote has fallen a point.

The Newspoll shows the two-party preferred split remains unchanged at 55-45 per cent in Labor’s favour.

Anthony Albanese has narrowed the lead for preferred Prime Minister. Picture: NCA Newswire/Gary Ramage

Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party has overtaken One Nation as the largest minor party nationally after the Greens, with four per cent of the popular vote – up from the 3.4 per cent it attracted at the 2019 election.

One Nation’s primary vote is at three per cent, similar to the 3.1 per cent it won in 2019.

The Greens have lifted a point to nine per cent, which is still down on its 2019 10.4 per cent result.

Originally published as Labor retains strong Newspoll lead as Scott Morrison, Anthony Albanese lift approval ratings