Newspoll: Labor’s primary vote lifts to highest point in more than a year
With less than two weeks left in the election campaign, Labor’s primary vote has lifted to its highest point in more than a year, although support for the Prime Minister has fallen.
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With less than two weeks left in the election campaign, Labor’s primary vote has lifted to its highest point in more than a year – although support for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has fallen.
And according to an exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian, Opposition leader Peter Dutton is regarded as the leader better placed to defend the nation and grow the economy.
However he is yet to convince voters that the Coalition has a better plan to tackle cost-of-living pressures, housing, tax relief and health services.
Mr Dutton’s approval rating has also fallen to a new personal low, with voters believing Mr Albanese is better placed to handle the chaos spearheaded by US President Donald Trump.
Labor ground in the latest Newspoll, conducted online between April 14-17 with 1263 voters, lifting its primary vote by one point to 34 per cent after a week of fierce debate over housing and tax policies, and rising tensions over Russia’s push for regional influence.
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This marks Labor’s strongest primary support since January 2024 and puts it 1.4 percentage points ahead of its performance at the last election.
In contrast, the Coalition has stalled, holding at 35 per cent, 0.7 points below its May 2022 result. With just a single point separating the major parties, the contest has tightened to its closest margin since October 2023.
Despite Labor’s small gain, the two-party-preferred split remains locked at 52–48, pointing to a slim chance of Labor forming a majority government. A hung parliament is still a strong possibility, especially with the Greens holding steady at 12 per cent, equal to the combined support for other minor parties and independents.
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation dropped one point to 7 per cent, though the party still polls better than it did in 2022.
The poll also reveals Labor’s first shift in primary support in a month, following three consecutive polls at 33 per cent. Since January, Labor has climbed three points while the Coalition has shed four, erasing most of its early-year lead.
On leadership, voters continue to back Mr Dutton on national security, with 35 per cent believing he would better protect Australia’s defences, compared to 23 per cent for Mr Albanese. Mr Dutton also leads on economic management, 34 to 29 per cent.
However, Mr Albanese holds the edge on healthcare, with 42 per cent of voters saying he would deliver better outcomes versus 22 per cent for Mr Dutton. On cost-of-living pressures, Mr Albanese holds a narrow lead, 31 to 28 per cent.
While men lean slightly toward Mr Dutton, women overwhelmingly favour Labor on this front.
Labor’s tax policy is also resonating more strongly with voters. A third of respondents (33 per cent) say Labor is more likely to lower taxes, compared to 26 per cent for the Coalition.
On housing, 29 per cent of voters back Labor’s approach to helping first-home buyers, while 24 per cent prefer the Coalition’s plan — underscoring just how central affordability has become in this election campaign.
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Originally published as Newspoll: Labor’s primary vote lifts to highest point in more than a year
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