Newspoll: Record electoral satisfaction rating for Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese has recorded the highest satisfaction rating for an incoming PM in the first Newspoll on his government.

Anthony Albanese has recorded the largest margin as a preferred prime minister since 2008 with a 59-25 lead over Liberal leader Peter Dutton. Picture: Getty Images

Anthony Albanese has recorded the highest satisfaction rating for an incoming prime minister, delivering the Labor leader a commanding electoral footing on the back of a surge in popular support for the new government since the election.

An exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian, the first since the May 21 election, shows the Prime Minister’s satisfaction ratings at 61 per cent.

This is the strongest satisfaction rating, in a first post-election poll, since this question was first measured in 1985 during the Hawke government.

Peter Dutton. Picture: Getty Images

While former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd’s net approval ratings were higher on coming into office, his satisfaction rating in the first post-election poll was lower at 59 per cent.

Scott Morrison recorded a satisfaction rating of 51 per cent following the 2019 election, while John Howard and Bob Hawke both recorded satisfaction levels in the high 50s.

Labor’s primary vote has also lifted almost five points on its election result of 32.6 per cent to 37 per cent, indicating a strong stamp of approval from voters on the performance of the government in its first two months in ­office.

Labor’s primary vote is, however, still down on the high of 41 per cent the party reached prior to the election campaign.

Mr Albanese has also recorded the largest margin as a preferred prime minister since 2008 with a 59-25 lead over new Liberal leader Peter Dutton.

The strong show of electoral goodwill for the Albanese government comes despite the energy and inflation crises that have dominated the political landscape over the past two months.

Support for the Coalition has dropped almost three points to 33 per cent following its election result of 35.7 per cent.

This is the lowest primary vote for the Liberals/Nationals since 2018 in the wake of the leadership change from Malcolm Turnbull to Mr Morrison.

However, it is two points higher than its previous low of 31 per cent when it was last in opposition in 2008.

The results show a sharp lift in two-party-preferred support for Labor of 56-44 compared to the election result of 52.1 per cent for Labor and 47.9 per cent for the Coalition.

Despite the expected lift in support for Labor since the election, overall support for the two major parties remains at historical lows, with the combined support for the minor parties and independents at 30 per cent – or almost a third of the total vote.

This is only slightly down on the 31.5 per cent combined vote for other and minor parties at the election.

Support for the Greens remains strong on 12 per cent – compared with its election result of 12.2 per cent.

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has also improved on its election result of 5 per cent, lifting a point to 6 per cent.

Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party, however, has seen a collapse in support, dropping from 4.1 per cent on polling day to just 2 per cent in the latest survey.

Other minor parties, dominated by the teal independents, have remained steady at 10 per cent.

Satisfaction with the Opposition Leader’s performance was mixed, with him recording a satisfaction rating of 37 per cent and a dissatisfaction rating of 41 per cent.

His net negative approval ratings of minus 4 per cent is better, however, than the net satisfaction ratings of both Mr Albanese and Mr Morrison were heading into the May 21 election this year.

Mr Albanese’s net approval rating was plus 35 per cent – based on a satisfaction rating of 61 per cent and a dissatisfaction rating of 26 per cent.

The Newspoll was conducted between July 27 and July 30 and surveyed 1508 voters throughout Australia.