Primary support for Coalition highest in three years: Newspoll

The Coalition is celebrating its highest level of primary support in three years after a damaging fortnight for Labor.

Primary support for the Coalition has risen to the highest point in three years as Peter Dutton closes in on Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister, new polling has revealed.

A damaging two weeks for Labor dealt a blow to the party, the most recent Newspoll revealed, with primary support for the Coalition rising two points to 39 per cent.

Conducted between June 3-7, the polling found primary support for Labor had meanwhile fell one point to 33 per cent – levels consistent with the 2022 election result.

On a two-party preferred basis, Labor and the Coalition sit at 50-50 – the last time the result was so close was immediately after the failed Voice referendum last year.

Anthony Albanese is losing ground to Peter Dutton. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Approval for Mr Albanese also fell into negative territory with a 7 point drop, just three points above Mr Dutton whose approval rose from -12 to -10 in June 2024.

The assessment of Mr Dutton as potential prime minister only marginally improved in the most recent polling, with only 38 per cent of respondents stating he’d be a better leader.

Views of Mr Albanese as being the better prime minister fell six points from May to 46 per cent, leaving the two men at their closest point since the 2022 federal election.

Greens leader Adam Bandt called for a formal condemnation of Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The monthly Newspoll survey is run by The Australian and reports the responses of 1232 respondents from across Australia, including metropolitan and regional areas.

The most recent results come after a damaging few weeks for Mr Albanese and Labor following the Direction 99 controversy and a political row over alleged anti-Semitism.

Primary support for the Greens fell in June from 13 to 11 per cent following leader Adam Bandt’s call during question time last week to formally condemn Israel.

The ongoing war in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attack has been a point of contention for Labor, who joined Mr Dutton in attacking the Greens last week over the issue.

Originally published as Primary support for Coalition highest in three years: Newspoll