Anthony Albanese’s personal approval rating plunges in Newspoll to lowest since Bill Shorten

Net satisfaction with Mr Albanese’s performance fell to a record low of minus 14 per cent - the worst for an opposition leader since Bill Shorten.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has taken a battering on his personal approval rating according to the latest Newspoll but urged voters not to “underestimate him”.

The latest Newspoll hints that whoever wins the election may need the support of independents to govern.

The ALP is maintaining a 53:47 per cent lead on a two-party preferred basis - which would still suggest that the Labor Party would form government if replicated on May 21.

However, the low primary vote recorded by both the major parties suggests a high degree of volatility and undecided voters.

After a troubled start to the campaign which saw him unable to recall the national unemployment rate, Mr Albanese slumped to his lowest approval rating since he became Labor leader and the ALP’s primary vote has also taken another hit.

Newspoll, published in The Australian newspaper, has found the net satisfaction with Mr Albanese’s performance falling to a record low of minus 14 per cent - the worst for an opposition leader since Bill Shorten in May 2019 prior to the last election.

Labor’s primary vote has also continued its downward trajectory, falling to 36 per cent, down one point from the previous poll a week ago.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese visits flood victims in Auchenflower, Brisbane. Picture: Toby Zerna

Just a few weeks ago Labor’s primary vote was 41 per cent. The Coalition’s primary vote also declined in the latest Newspoll by one point to 35 per cent.

After a troubled start to his campaign, Mr Albanese has declared that people have “underestimated him” and the ALP will prevail.

“I made an error due to a memory lapse, and took responsibility for it. I didn’t try to blame someone else,’’ he said.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, he said he was “tough” and ready to take the fight to the Prime Minister in coming weeks.

“A lot of people have underestimated me,” he said.

“I’ve fought for everything I’ve got and I expect to fight for the job of prime minister. I expect to have to fight for it and argue my case strongly.”

“Resets happen naturally as part of the campaign – the first debate, then there’s another debate, and there’s the campaign launch,” he said.

On Sunday, the Resolve Political Monitor suggested a hung Parliament is a real possibility with independents securing 9 per cent of the vote.

According to the Fairfax/Resolve poll voter support for the Labor opposition dropped from 38 to 34 per cent with a rise in the number of undecided voters.

Mr Albanese’s performance has fallen to a record low of minus 14 per cent - the worst for an opposition leader since Bill Shorten in May 2019 prior to the last election. Picture: Toby Zerna

But perhaps the most intriguing finding of the poll, conducted by Resolve Strategic for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, was that it showed 27 per cent of voters described themselves as uncommitted.

That’s almost one-in-three voters who haven’t made up their minds. Just a few weeks ago the number of uncommitted voters was 21 per cent.

But that loss of Labor support did not translate directly to the Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Primary support for the Coalition rose from 34 to 35 per cent although the Prime Minister did improve his personal approval rating.

A stunning one in three voters - 29 per cent - claim they will support a minor party or an independent.

That suggests both the major parties face the prospect of being forced to negotiate with an expanded crossbench and the possibility of governing with independents.

In 2010, Julia Gillard formed a government despite Labor winning one seat fewer than the Coalition.

This was because she was able to strike a deal with crossbench independents including the Greens, Andrew Wilkie and Rob Oakeshott.

Originally published as Anthony Albanese’s personal approval rating plunges in Newspoll to lowest since Bill Shorten