Malcolm Turnbull leads poll surge for the Coalition

A NEW poll taken after Malcolm Turnbull overthrew Tony Abbott as PM shows the Coalition ahead of Labor for the first time in 16 months.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 16: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during House of Representatives question time at Parliament House on September 16, 2015 in Canberra, Australia. Malcolm Turnbull was sworn in as Prime Minister of Australia on Tuesday, replacing Tony Abbott following a leadership ballot on Monday night. (Photo by Stefan Postles/Getty Images)

A NEW poll taken after Malcolm Turnbull overthrew Tony Abbott as prime minister shows the Coalition ahead of Labor for the first time in 16 months.

Mr Turnbull has also opened a lead of more than two to one over Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, according to the national Galaxy poll, published by News Corp on Friday.

The poll, taken after Monday night’s coup, recorded a three-point bounce in the coalition’s primary vote since May from 41 to 44 per cent, and showed it leading Labor on a two-party preferred basis by 51-49.

In the poll of 1224 voters, 51 per cent rated Mr Turnbull as preferred prime minister compared to 20 per cent for Mr Shorten. In a further troubling sign for Mr Shorten’s leadership, 27 per cent of Labor voters said they preferred Mr Turnbull as prime minister.

Meanwhile, anyone who served as a minister under Tony Abbott will be staying within phone range over the weekend, hoping for a job offer from Malcolm Turnbull. Or maybe not.

There’s been much speculation about who will be in the Turnbull ministry. Treasurer Joe Hockey is tipped to go, possibly replaced by social services minister Scott Morrison.

Michaelia Cash, Marise Payne, Kelly O’Dwyer, Arthur Sinodinos and Simon Birmingham are considered likely for promotion, while Employment Minister Eric Abetz and Defence Minister Kevin Andrews are expected to be dumped from cabinet.

Mr Andrews wants to stay, pointing to significant upcoming decisions including the release of the new Defence White Paper. If he goes, his replacement will be the third coalition defence minister in two years.

The prime minister has let nothing slip.

But it seems likely the new cabinet will be announced over the weekend, with its members sworn in on Monday.

The contenders accept this is a matter for Mr Turnbull.

“As is always the case, the jobs in the Liberal Party are the gift of the prime minister. I will, like most ministers, be waiting for his call over the weekend,” Justice Minister Michael Keenan told ABC television.

“What the prime minister elects to do is a matter for him. I have always sought to conduct myself in a way where I’ve let my actions, my performance be my advocate,” Mr Morrison said.

The elevation of Mr Turnbull has had an instant effect, with a ReachTel poll for the Seven Network putting the coalition and Labor at 50-50 in two-party terms.

Labor responded with cynicism.

“If (maverick conservative senator) Cory Bernardi had replaced Tony Abbott, they would’ve got a bounce in the polls,” Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese said.

Labor leader Bill Shorten said a choosing a “drover’s dog” would have lifted the government’s stocks.