Newspoll: Scott Morrison hangs onto approval after a chaotic week in parliament

Josh Frydenberg has conceded he is interested in the leadership “at the right time”, as a new poll found the PM survived one of his worst weeks.

Senior government ministers are adamant Prime Minister Scott Morrison will be the Liberal party leader at a May election, but Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says he would put his hand up for the top spot “at the right time”.

The government’s primary vote is at an alarming low, after a torrid week in parliament in which Mr Morrison’s leadership was undermined following a failed Religious Discrimination Bill in which five backbenchers crossed the floor, and the leaking of high-level Cabinet information.

The latest blows came after the leaking of alleged text messages in which an unnamed cabinet minister labelled Mr Morrison a “complete psycho” and “fraud”.

While Mr Morrison’s front bench allies have thrown their support behind the Prime Minister, Mr Frydenberg told ABC Radio leadership was still something of interest to him.

“I’m hoping to win the election and I’m hoping to see Scott Morrison continue as Prime Minister,” Mr Frydenberg said.

“I’ve made no secret that (being PM) would be something I put my hand up for at the right time, but we’re not looking that time right now.”

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he would like to be Prime Minister ‘at the right time’, but has thrown his support behind Scott Morrison. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Barnaby Joyce, appearing on Sunrise on Monday morning, rejected speculation of a leadership spill.

“There will not be a leadership spill. The prime minister is entitled to show the Australian people the full package of who the prime minister is. He’s a family man, beautiful kids, beautiful wife and a lot of people in Australia get a sense of comfort out of that and that is intrinsically who he is,” the National leader said.

Last week, Defence Minister Peter Dutton downplayed whispers he was vying for the top spot, despite being the one to challenge former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2018, before losing the contest to Mr Morrison.

“We’re weeks away from going into caretaker, we’re on the eve of an election, and I have done my best as Defence Minister to prepare our country for a different time ahead than I think what we’ve known,” Mr Dutton told 3AW last week.

“I want to be the Defence Minister in Scott Morrison’s government.”

Defence Minister has downplayed suggestions he is vying for a Liberal party leadership spill. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

It comes as a Newspoll, found the Coalition’s primary vote remains on a post-election record low of 34 per cent with an election less than three months away.

But according to The Australian, senior Coalition sources revealed they had expected the Newspoll result to be worse, claiming it had been one of the messiest parliamentary weeks since the leadership spill of 2018.

Labor maintains its lead over the Coalition despite a fall in approval for Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison attends Sunday Mass at the Lebanese Maronite Catholic Church in Westbourne Park, South Australia. Picture: Adam Taylor / NCA NewsWire

14 per cent of voters are undecided about opposition leader Anthony Albanese. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling.

Mr Albanese’s net approval ratings fell six points, putting him into negative territory following an attempt by the government to cast doubt on his record on taxes and national security.

Satisfaction with Mr Albanese’s leadership fell three points to 40 per cent, while those dissatisfied with him rose three points to 46 per cent. This produced a net negative approval rating of minus six, with 14 per cent of voters undecided about the opposition leader.

Mr Morrison’s satisfaction rating rose a point to 40 per cent. Those dissatisfied with his performance fell two points, leaving him on a slightly improved net approval rating of minus 16.

However, the level of discontent with Mr Morrison remains near that of February 2020 following the summer bushfire crisis, prior to the pandemic approval ratings boost.

In the poll’s head-to-head contest, Mr Albanese lost ground, with a three-point fall in his standing to 38 per cent compared to Mr Morrison on 43 per cent, and whose support as the preferred prime minister remained unchanged on the previous poll of two weeks ago.

The margin between the two parties is still at its widest since August 2018, in the wake of the Liberal leadership spill and former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s resignation.

The two-party preferred result represents a 6.5 per cent swing against the government on the 2019 election, which if an election were held now, could result in a loss of 22 seats for the Coalition.

The major shift in the latest Newspoll was a collapse in support for the Greens, with the party suffering a three-point fall in popular support, from 11 per cent to eight per cent.

Before 2012, the last time it recorded levels this low was in March 2009.

The decline in the Greens’ share of the national vote came amid a corresponding lift in support for other minor parties and independents, including Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party, to a record high of 14 per cent.

Support for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation remained steady at 3 per cent.