Coalition shrugs off critics, keeps ALP at bay

The Coalition has maintained its lead over Labor as ­Anthony Albanese’s approval ratings sink.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison during his meeting with President Joko Widodo before his inauguration on Sunday. Picture: Adam Taylor

The Coalition has maintained its lead over Labor despite pressure over the economy and criticism of drought relief for farmers as ­Anthony Albanese’s approval ­ratings sink to their lowest since he came to the job.

An exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian shows no change in the headline numbers for the government, with the Coalition holding a two-party-preferred lead of 51 per cent to 49 per cent.

It is the fourth consecutive poll to show a two-point margin between the major parties and continues an extended post-election honeymoon for the government.

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The results follow a week in which Scott Morrison faced calls for a fiscal stimulus package in ­response to poor economic forecasts while Labor faced internal dissent over calls to rewrite its ­climate change policy.

Despite the declining personal approval numbers for Mr Albanese, the gap in the head-to-head contest with Mr Morrison tightened to the closest margin since Mr Albanese become leader.

Popular support for the Morrison government remains unchanged at 42 per cent and in line with the 41.4 per cent primary vote recorded at the May election despite attempts by the opposition to exploit a writedown of Australia’s growth forecasts last week by ­global agencies.

Labor’s tactical shift to engineer a debate in parliament over economic management has so far failed to resonate, with its primary vote of 33 per cent also remaining unchanged since the last poll. The numbers suggest the criticism of Mr Morrison’s response to the drought has also had no impact on the Coalition’s electoral advantage.

Satisfaction with Mr Morrison’s performance is steady, with an approval rating of 47 per cent. The number of those claiming to be dissatisfied with his performance rose slightly from 43 per cent to 45 per cent, but the Prime Minister remains in positive territory in net terms.

The most significant movement in the latest poll is a mark down in Mr Albanese’s net ­approval ratings and a narrowing of the gap as to who would make the better prime minister.

Mr Albanese recorded a two-point decline in approval ratings to 37 per cent. This was compounded by a four-point rise in those dissatisfied with his performance as Labor leader.

It leaves the Opposition ­Leader with a net negative satisfaction rating of minus seven, which is the worst since he ­became leader.

Despite this, Mr Albanese lifted a point as the preferred prime minister to 32 per cent in the head-to-head popularity contest, with Mr Morrison falling three points to 47 per cent.

The gap between the two leaders as preferred prime minister is now the closest since the first poll after the election.

Popular support for the Greens remained unchanged at 13 per cent, which is almost three points higher than the election result.

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation also cemented its electoral gains since the election with a primary vote of six points representing ­almost a doubling in support since May.