Newspoll: Less than a third want Anthony Albanese or Peter Dutton as preferred leaders
Less than a third of Australian voters prefer Anthony Albanese as Labor leader, with Peter Dutton’s approval in similar territory, according to the latest poll.
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An exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian shows voters have little faith in current leaders with only 28 per cent of voters picking Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton as preferred leaders of their respective parties.
The findings of the special leaders’ Newspoll showed more than a third of voters opting for none of those nominated, suggesting a crisis of confidence in leadership of the major parties.
Despite Labor maintaining a lead in the two-party-preferred contest, Mr Albanese’s disapproval rating is now higher than Mr Dutton’s, and the preferred prime minister stakes have narrowed to seven points in Mr Albanese’s favour.
This is the closest margin between Mr Albanese and Mr Dutton since the 2022 election.
Among Labor voters, however, Mr Albanese was still the favoured leader at 59 per cent.
Tanya Plibersek was next in line (13 per cent) and then Bill Shorten (10 per cent).
Coalition voters preferred Mr Dutton as party leader at 54 per cent but only 28 per cent of all voters chose Mr Dutton over potential Liberal Party rivals.
Next preferred was Indigenous affairs spokeswoman, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (14 per cent), followed by Sussan Ley (6 per cent) followed by Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie (5 per cent).
The latest Newspoll saw the Coalition lift two points in primary vote support to 38 per cent, benefiting from a difficult two weeks for Labor following the forced disaffiliation of the CFMEU from the Labor Party over allegations of criminal behaviour.
Nevertheless, Labor increased one point to 33 per cent, benefiting from the July 1 tax cuts, and Labor maintains its 51-49 two-party-preferred lead over the Coalition.
Both leaders also showed small increases in approval ratings, with Mr Dutton recording his best result since becoming leader with a three-point gain to 41 per cent and a five-point fall in dissatisfaction to 49 per cent.
Mr Albanese’s approval ratings also improved two points to 44 per cent against a fall in disapproval of two points to 51 per cent.
Mr Dutton also gained a point in the contest over who would make the better prime minister. A seven-point margin separates the leaders, the closest since both were elected leaders of their parties.
Mr Albanese was least supported among 50 to 64-year-old voters.
Mr Dutton’s approval rating with over-65s was the highest level of support among any demographic for either leader.
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