Newspoll: Voters turn to minority parties

Scott Morrison may have a higher approval rating but Australian voters are weighing up leadership alternatives as support for fringe parties rises.

Support among voters for minor parties and independents has peaked as the Coalition struggles to hang on to public approval with Victoria and NSW still in lockdown.

According to the latest Newspoll by The Australian, fringe parties have attracted the highest level of support in four years with interest in “others” (excluding the Greens or One Nation), rising to a post-election high of 13 per cent.

Approval for Queensland mining magnate Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party is up.

The increased support for the fringe vote includes Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party.

The growing trend in this direction indicates a dispersal of the conservative vote, which reached a peak of 44 per cent this time last year, and is now at 37 per cent.

While the total vote of 26 per cent for all other parties remains close to the 25.3 per cent recorded at the 2019 election, the 13 per cent support for independents and other fringe parties equals that recorded at the 2016 ­double-dissolution election.

It has almost doubled since April last year.

Support for the Greens has risen a point to 11 per cent.

Support for the Australian Greens Party has risen.

Nevertheless, approval for Scott Morrison rose after a week of summits in the US.

The Prime Minister’s approval ratings showed signs of improvement with a two-point rise to 48 per cent among those satisfied with his performance as leader.

There was also a one-point fall in those claiming to be dissatisfied, and while a small improvement on the last survey two weeks ago, it reflects a 21-point drop from May when Mr Morrison’s approval ratings hit 58 per cent and his disapproval was at 38 per cent.

The Leader of the Australian Labor Party, Anthony Albanese holds a press conference in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Satisfaction with Anthony Albanese’s performance remained unchanged since the last survey with an approval rating of 37 per cent.

Labor’s primary vote has dropped three points from a high of 40 per cent in late August.