James Campbell: Why PM needs to hit panic button

Cost-of-living is leading as Aussies’ biggest concern and it’s a miracle Labor’s primary vote is only down a little – but it won’t stay this way unless Anthony Albanese acts, writes James Campbell.

Almost two years of rising prices have taken their toll on Australians.

The Freshwater survey finds less than a third of us think the country is heading in the right direction, while slightly more than half think we’re going the wrong way.

A year ago more people (44 per cent) thought the country was heading in the right direction, while only 42 per cent thought it was the other way round.

That’s a big change and bad news for a first term government starting its year with a by-election in a marginal suburban seat being belted by a cost-of-living crisis.

The only groups in which a majority believe the country is heading in the right direction are Labor voters and people who voted Yes to the Voice.

Shoppers at South Melbourne Market. Picture: NCA NewsWire

But there’s worse news for the Government in this poll than the fact we’re down in the dumps about where we’re heading.

It also shows that while cost-of-living is leading as Australians’ biggest concern by the length of the straight, 81 per cent of us don’t think the Government has done enough about it and 68 per cent don’t think that’s going to change in the next six months.

High petrol prices have caused difficulties for many. Picture: NCA NewsWire

In these circumstances it’s a miracle Labor’s primary vote is only down by less than 2 per cent from the 2022 election.

If there’s any consolation for Labor, it’s still at 50-50 on a two party-preferred basis.

But it’s hard not to conclude that, unless Albo and his ministers can convince they have a plan to do something about our cost-of-living pain, this won’t be the case for long.