Albanese can only look with envy at PM’s approval rating

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and PM Scott Morrison during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

There is little sign of buyer’s remorse on the horizon for Scott Morrison.

He continues to assert his authority. And the Coalition continues to lock in growing popular support.

Morrison enjoys a luxury afforded few prime ministers when the dust finally settles on an election victory.

His popularity and that of his party, far from diminishing over time, is strengthening.

The latest Newspoll gives proof to his claim that people voted for stability and certainty.

Anthony Albanese may now ponder whether his decision to travel to Queensland in support of an asylum-seeker family on the day the national accounts revealed a softening economy was a significant political misstep.

His approval ratings were already poor for a new leader, barely being in positive territory when he took over from Bill Shorten.

While spiking a month ago, they have now entered negative territory for the first time since his elevation to the job on May 30.

This is a more rapid fall from grace than Shorten’s, who enjoyed a brief period of positive approval when he took over as leader following Labor’s 2013 election defeat.

The difference is that Shorten was never under the illusion that he would be a particularly popular leader.

In fact, as time marched on, he came to the realisation that he would never be popular.

This mattered little if he could ensure Labor was, but in the end he would drag the government down with him into the weeds.

Shorten, who has been held solely responsible for losing the unlosable election despite having many helpers, for the most part did a very good job of holding the government to account.

Tony Abbott’s achievements were testament to the belief that this could be a winning strategy for Shorten. It almost was.

Albanese, on the other hand, rose to the leadership in the belief that he would be a popular Labor leader, returning charisma to the job.

He also vowed to take the party back to the centre.

So far there is little evidence of either being achieved.

This has many of his colleagues very nervous.