Early campaign gaffes lead to plunge in support for Anthony Albanese

The results after a week of campaigning are in and Anthony Albanese’s early campaign blunders — including a big one Sunday — make for “horror” reading.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese’s early campaign blunders have delivered a plunge in support according to a new poll with primary support dropping to just 34 per cent.

The findings in the Resolve Political Monitor suggest a hung Parliament is a real possibility with independents securing 9 per cent of the vote.

Mr Albanese has been under pressure in the first week of the campaign with unforced errors during press conferences including being unable to remember the national unemployment rate and stumbling over asylum seeker policy.

According to the Fairfax/Resolve poll voter support for the Labor opposition dropped from 38 to 34 per cent with a rise in the number of undecided voters.

It follows Newspoll suggesting primary support for the ALP has dropped from 41 per cent to 37 per cent in recent weeks. However, Labor retains a 53-47 lead on a two-party preferred basis according to Newspoll.

Horror poll for Labor, losing its campaign lead and now behind the Coalition on the primary vote and Anthony Albanese’s personal ratings have dived:

Primary
L/NP: 35% (+1)
ALP: 34% (-4)

Preferred PM
Morrison: 38% (+2)
Albanese: 30% (-7)@smh@theage#ausvotes#auspol

— Troy Bramston (@TroyBramston) April 17, 2022

Resolve. The LNP now are in front on primary in the 3 big states. But what sticks out to me is this. Why? Because Essential had the same Vic primary for Labor. Anyone on the Labor side thinking Vic is going to provide the goods needs to be very cautious. pic.twitter.com/Q24hNjecAL

— Kos Samaras (@KosSamaras) April 17, 2022

But perhaps the most intriguing finding of the poll, conducted by Resolve Strategic for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, was that it showed 27 per cent of voters described themselves as uncommitted.

That’s almost one-in-three voters who haven’t made up their minds. Just a few weeks ago the number of uncommitted voters was 21 per cent.

But that loss of Labor support did not translate directly to the Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Primary support for the Coalition rose from 34 to 35 per cent although the Prime Minister did improve his personal approval rating.

According to the Resolve poll, Mr Morrison is now beating Mr Albanese as preferred prime minister by 38 to 30 per cent.

That’s a complete reversal of fortunes from a few weeks ago when the Labor leader was beating the PM 37 to 36 per cent.

“Like the apocryphal tale of two hikers approached by a bear, Morrison only needs to outrun Albanese, not the bear,” Resolve pollster Jim Reed told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“Voters don’t have to like the Prime Minister, they only need to dislike him less than the alternative.”

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Labor Leader Anthony Albanese has suffered a sharp drop in polling. Picture: Toby Zerna

The Resolve Political Monitor surveyed 1404 eligible voters.

Mr Albanese was forced into yet another awkward backtrack on Sunday morning after a difficult start to his election campaign.

The Labor leader attended an Easter Sunday service at St Monica’s church in Cairns with his partner Jodie Haydon, and only took a handful of questions from journalists following the service.

But he had another stumble when asked by a reporter if he remained committed to Operation Sovereign Borders, and if so, if he supported the retention of temporary protection visas.

Mr Albanese’s response was a succinct – but entirely incorrect – “yes”.

In fact, Labor opposes the visas on the grounds that they leave those seeking asylum in limbo for years on end.

However, Mr Albanese later clarified that he had misheard the original question, and that “Labor’s policy is to support Operation Sovereign Borders”.

“We support offshore processing. We support resettlement in third countries. We don’t support temporary protection visas,” he clarified – the second time in just one week he has had to clarify Labor’s border protection policies.

The latest misstep came after several gaffes, beginning on Monday on day one of the official election campaign.

On Thursday, he suggested Labor “wouldn’t need” offshore detention centres because the party would be successful in deterring asylum seekers by “turning boats back”.

Mr Albanese later clarified that while that was his “preference”, ultimately Labor would keep offshore detention.

Anthony Albanese and partner Jodie Haydon attended an Easter Sunday service at St Monica’s Cathedral in Cairns. Picture: Toby Zerna

On Sunday, he complained that the Prime Minister had broken the Easter truce by announcing his new health minister - Anne Ruston - if he is re-elected.

“I do note the Prime Minister had said that today wasn’t going to be a day of usual campaigning, and that he has chosen, the government has chosen, to make a very significant announcement today of the appointment of a new health minister should the government be re-elected,” Mr Albanese said.

“She has made it very clear that if we have a re-election of the Morison government, we will see more cuts to Medicare. The appointment of Anne Ruston sends a very bad message.”

Labor’s treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers continued the attack, who told reporters that “this appointment today should send a shiver down the spine of every Australian who relies on affordable health care”.

Originally published as Early campaign gaffes lead to plunge in support for Anthony Albanese