The Coalition makes gains in latest Newspoll with Scott Morrison as preferred PM

After a post-Budget bump in the polls, Scott Morrison has warned Bill Shorten not to expect an easy path to the Lodge, as he slams Labor’s policy on electric vehicles, saying it will “take choice away” from Australian workers.

Scott Morrison has slammed Bill Shorten’s “reckless” climate policy to boost the number of electric vehicles, saying Labor is “taking choice away from Australians” who might want to drive a Hilux.

The Prime Minister also warned the Opposition leader today he shouldn’t be measuring the curtains for The Lodge after the Coalition received a post-Budget bump in the latest Newspoll.

Mr Morrison said the Coalition was the “underdog” going into the election campaign but warned Australians wouldn’t like Labor’s “reckless” plan to cut carbon emissions by 45 per cent.

“Every time you hear Bill Shorten’s lips moving, he is increasing his taxes. Every time he opens his wallet he is opening yours,” Mr Morrison said in a press conference in Brisbane.

The latest Newspoll, taken for The Australian, reveals a four point turnaround for the Morrison’s government, following last week’s federal Budget where $302 billion in personal income tax cuts were announced.

The Coalition’s two-party preferred result jumped by two points, and it now trails Labor 48 to 52 per cent after trailing 46 to 54 per cent a month ago.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has made some gains, moving within striking distance of Labor according to the latest Newspoll. Picture: Chris Pavlich

The Coalition’s primary vote gained two points, rising to 38 while Labor’s dropped to 37.

“We have been in the underdog in this campaign right from the outset,” Mr Morrison said today.

“I know Bill Shorten has measured up the curtains and for all I know he has gone out and bought the curtains - but my suggestion is he should hold on because the Australian people may have more to say, particularly on his reckless carbon emission policy.”

The Prime Minister warned Australians Labor was coming for their Hilux and other big 4WDs under its policy to slash carbon emissions.

“It shows he does not get how Australians like to live,” Mr Morrison said, claiming Labor was “taking choice away from Australians”.

“I support people going out buying electric cars and we have a plan facilitating that but we’re leaving the choice in the Australians,” he said.

Mr Shorten hit back by targeting the Prime Minister over the “two mutinies” he was facing on climate change.

It comes after Queensland government senator James McGrath publicly warned Environment Minister Melissa Price he would call for her resignation if she failed to treat the Adani mine project fairly.

“We all know what Australians really want out of the Government in Canberra is not too much - they just want to be sure they’ll have one PM for three years and that there’s a united team behind that PM,” the Opposition leader said.

“The problem for the current PM is he has a mutiny - in fact, he has two mutinies.

“He has a mutiny on his southern flank in the big cities who say they’ve been accused of doing nothing on climate change. Too late for that, they’ve done nothing. But he’s got a mutiny on his northern flank because he’s made promises there he can’t follow through with.”

Mr Shorten added: “The most important things in politics are not the day to day noise ...what Australian politics should be about is family and health.”

Earlier, Mr Morrison told 2GB radio he would not run a “fear campaign” but a “truth campaign” about Labor’s policies.

He said Labor would slug Australians with an extra $200 billion worth of taxes, holding the economy back.

“When you do that, guess what? You run out of money for hospitals, schools and in particular affordable medicines,” he said.

“That’s what happens with Labor — when they run out of their own money, they come after yours.”

Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek said she was not taking anything for granted.

“What I’m going to focus on is convincing people — one-by-one if I have to — about the superiority of Labor’s vision and also about the unity and discipline in our team,” she told ABC Radio National today.

It was expected the PM would call the election at the weekend, but he is thought to have delayed the announcement in order to spruik the Budget’s promises.

May 18 is now firming as the most likely election date.

In terms of who the public sees as the better PM, Mr Morrison has received the best result since he took over the Liberal leadership last year in today’s Newspoll.

Mr Morrison’s personal approval is now at 46 points with Mr Shorten’s dropping one point to 35, creating the widest gap between them since last year.

One Nation’s primary vote dropped a point to six per cent following a scandal over allegations a senior staffer sought funding from America’s NRA to try to loosen Australian gun laws.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten unveiled a $37.7 million package to support young Australians with cancer, but the plan is not inspiring voters. Picture: AAP

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s Budget was ranked by voters as the best in a decade and the most likely to offer the most financial relief to Australians since the Howard Government’s $1.4 billion package for seniors in 2007.

Another poll, by Ipsos, also suggested a clear gap between the two major parties (Coalition 47, Labor 53).

Labor only needs a uniform swing of about one per cent to win majority government.

A swing of three per cent would spell the end of senior minister Peter Dutton and David Coleman’s careers and deliver Labor 83 spots in the 151-seat Lower House.

Today, the PM is in Brisbane to address a business lunch.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is also in the Queensland capital. He started his day with a run alongside the Brisbane Broncos.

A perfect Brissy morning for a run with the @brisbanebroncos women’s team. And thank you for the new running shirt! pic.twitter.com/fa3gPj7IQa

— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) April 7, 2019

Back in Canberra, the Senate is scheduled to hold a week of Budget estimates, where senior officials are grilled about government spending.

Delaying the election could have knock-on consequences for income tax cuts included in the federal Budget, which are due to take effect in July.

It is looking increasingly likely that parliament won’t return in time to pass the necessary legislation.