Coalition primary vote crashes to historic low as pressure mounts on Sussan Ley
Pressure is mounting on Opposition Leader Sussan Ley as new polling shows Andrew Hastie gaining ground while Coalition support flatlines at record lows.
The Coalition has suffered another major setback as the pressure mounts on Liberal leader Sussan Ley, an exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian shows.
Andrew Hastie is rapidly gaining ground as the Coalition’s alternative to Ms Ley, while the Coalition’s primary vote flatlines at historic lows despite its pivot away from net zero and tougher migration pitch.
The poll, released ahead of the final parliamentary sitting week of the year, shows Labor extending its two-party-preferred lead to 58–42.
Anthony Albanese, returning to Canberra on Sunday from the G20 summit in South Africa, retains a commanding 54–27 lead over Ms Ley as preferred prime minister.
Mr Albanese’s net approval rating has lifted from minus five in the previous Newspoll, with voters equally split on satisfaction and dissatisfaction with his performance (47 per cent each), while six per cent were uncommitted.
Ms Ley’s ratings remain bleak – 26 per cent satisfied, 55 per cent dissatisfied and 19 per cent uncommitted.
Meanwhile, the Coalition’s primary vote remains unchanged at 24 per cent – the lowest recorded since primary vote tracking began in November 1985.
Ms Ley’s net approval rating has improved slightly over the past three weeks, rising from minus 33 to minus 29.
The Newspoll, which asked 1245 voters to choose a preferred Coalition leader from Ms Ley, Mr Hastie, defence spokesman Angus Taylor, Deputy Opposition Leader Ted O’Brien and industrial relations spokesman Tim Wilson, also revealed that 46 per cent of Australians remain undecided.
The poll showed 21 per cent of voters prefer Ms Ley as Liberal leader, ahead of Mr Hastie (15 per cent), Mr Taylor (nine per cent), Mr Wilson (six per cent) and Mr O’Brien (three per cent).
It also showed 28 per cent of Coalition voters preferred Ms Ley as Opposition Leader, over 20 per cent who voted for Mr Hastie.
Ms Ley, who won the most support from younger Australians, was not expected to face a leadership spill when Liberal MPs meet on Tuesday, The Australian reported.
Labor’s two-party-preferred rating of 58–42, matched its post-election high, despite its primary vote holding steady at 36 per cent.
The rise was driven by the Greens, whose support increased to 13 per cent. Backing for minor parties and independents slipped to 12 per cent, while One Nation maintained its record-high 15 per cent primary vote.
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Originally published as Coalition primary vote crashes to historic low as pressure mounts on Sussan Ley
