Newspoll: Post-budget bounce still eludes Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

A COALITION MP has come forward defending the Turnbull government’s lacklustre results in the latest Newspoll, saying voter surveys aren’t always accurate.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (right) retains his lead over Opposition Leader Bill Shorten (left) in the latest Newspoll. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

FORMER prime minister Tony Abbott has come forward defending the Turnbull government’s lacklustre results in the latest Newspoll, saying it’s not fair to judge governments on voter surveys.

“I don’t think it’s fair to judge governments entirely by Newspoll,” Mr Abbott told Sydney radio 2GB.

“It wasn’t fair to judge my government by polls and now it’s not fair to judge the Turnbull government entirely by the polls.” Monday’s Newspoll is the 13th consecutive bad poll for the Turnbull-led coalition.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott has defended the government’s poor result in the Newspoll. Picture: AAP

The results showed the Turnbull government’s desperate bid to win back voters with a “middle ground” budget had stalled, with the Coalition trailing Labor by 47 to 53 per cent in two-party terms after weeks of campaigning for its economic plan.

The latest Newspoll, produced for The Australian, shows the Coalition’s primary vote has flatlined as Mr Turnbull struggles to narrow Labor’s lead amid disputes over an $18.6 billion school funding boost and new taxes on workers and banks.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s bid to win back voters with his budget has stalled. Picture: AAP Image/Mal Fairclough

However the embattled Liberal leader retains his lead over Opposition Leader Bill Shorten as preferred prime minister, leading by 45 to 33 per cent.

Voter support for the Coalition government and Labor remains unchanged since the Newspoll two weeks ago, with both steady at 36 per cent.

Malcolm Turnbull retains his lead over Opposition Leader Bill Shorten as preferred prime minister. Picture: AAP Image/Mal Fairclough

The poll show 28 per cent of voters continue to prefer minor parties with 10 per cent primary vote support for the Greens, nine per cent for One Nation and nine per cent for others including the Nick Xenophon Team.

The survey was conducted from Thursday to Sunday and is the 13th consecutive Newspoll in which the Coalition has trailed Labor.

Read more at The Australian.