Turmoil takes toll on Turnbull in new poll

MALCOLM Turnbull has taken another damaging hit in the polls as the government struggles to recover from continuing turmoil and scandal.

MALCOLM Turnbull has taken another damaging hit in the polls as the government struggles to recover from continuing turmoil and scandal.

With a likely election now less than four months away, the Coalition’s worst fears have been confirmed by a second Newspoll — published exclusively in today’s Australian newspaper — in two weeks to have both parties deadlocked.

The Prime Minister has also taken another hit to his personal ratings — with the government still no clearer on tax policy or an economic agenda and a growing perception of internal chaos.

Turnbull turmoil.... The PM at a meeting of young Muslim leaders in Melbourne yesterday.

It marks a dramatic fall from grace for Mr Turnbull who took the leadership last September on the promise of popularity and policy superiority. The Newspoll shows the Coalition and Labor neck and neck on a two party preferred vote of 50/50. This is unchanged from a poll a fortnight ago, which marked a dramatic slump in poll approval for the new government.

Mr Turnbull’s own satisfaction rating slid again from 48 to 44, while the preferred prime minister ratings remained unchanged with Mr Turnbull leading Labor leader Bill Shorten 55 to 21.

The results follow a week in which Mr Turnbull was directly challenged by former PM Tony Abbott about negative gearing policy — warning the Coalition should abandon any plans to target it.

The government was also mired in controversy over the leaking of the Defence White Paper

The scandal that has plagued the Turnbull government since Christmas also showed no sign of abating.

Supporters of Tony Abbott who spoke to The Daily Telegraph say they are furious at salacious claims made in a book at the weekend about the relationship between Tony Abbott and his former chief of staff Peta Credlin. The author of the book, a former Liberal staffer, has strong links to Mr Turnbull’s office.

The results put to rest suggestions that the last poll was “rogue” and was at the outer limits of statistical error.

Rather they point to a real voter backlash.

MPs fear that unless Mr Turnbull can mount a rapid recovery from the chaos and indecision that has plagued the government since the beginning of the year, the disillusionment could become entrenched.