Research shows no rays of warmth for ALP in north

There are also some interesting findings coming out of the internal research of both the major parties.

There are also some interesting findings coming out of the internal research of both the major parties.

WHILE the major polling agencies show diverging results in opinion polls taken over the weekend, the Australian understands that Labor's track polling shows its support is lifting in all states except Queensland, where the combinations of the toppling of Kevin Rudd (a local boy) and the deep unpopularity of the state government and Premier Anna Bligh are stifling support.

The numbers suggest Labor could lose a host of seats in the Sunshine State.

Attempts to arrest the decline include efforts by candidates to localise campaigns, along with sending Julia Gillard to Queensland for the early part of the campaign to break down the growing angst against her for tearing down an elected prime minister.

Labor sources point out the irony is that during Rudd's leadership, Queensland had been a problematic state where dissatisfaction with the job he was doing was high.

Perhaps surprisingly, the dip in support for Labor in Western Australia has been contained and a small upsurge has occurred.

The same results have been seen in NSW on the strength of Labor's changed border protection policy under Ms Gillard.

The Coalition is facing financial constraints and is not doing anywhere near the amount of expensive track polling it did at the last election, or as much as Labor is doing now, according to one senior Liberal source.

But the quantitative research the Coalition has done is said to have buoyed Tony Abbott and Brian Loughnane about their chances of a competitive result or even an upset victory.

The Coalition is apparently tracking better in key marginal seats than published polls with wider samples such as Newspoll might suggest.

The more concerning research from a Coalition perspective is the qualitative work being done with small focus groups of marginal-seat voters. It suggests the need for the conservatives to find one or two key wedge issues if it is to force voters into switching allegiances at the election.