Federal Election 2025: Redbridge poll shows Labor has election-winning lead

Peter Dutton’s pledge to get workers back to the office has proven to be a dead weight for the Coalition, with a new poll showing voters — particularly women — prefer Anthony Albanese’s WFH approach.

Peter Dutton’s pledge to send public servants back to the office has helped drive women over to Anthony Albanese, according to a shock poll which has also found a massive improvement in the number of people who think the government is focused on the right priorities.

The results also found the Coalition’s pledge to cut fuel excise and the government promised income tax are almost tied for the public’s affection.

The latest Redbridge poll of federal voting intention shows Labor now has an election-winning-lead with 52 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote, up one per cent from last month.

The turnaround in Labor’s support in Redbridge’s poll, which last November had the Coalition leading 51 per cent to 49 per cent, has been driven by a huge turnaround in perceptions of the government’s priorities.

In November Labor was registering -22 on this metric whereas today, while it is still in net negative territory, public dissatisfaction has now shrunk to -3. On the other hand, there has been a 6 point net drop in the percentage of people who think Mr Dutton and the Coalition are ready for government.

Voters Siobhan Batt (left) and Mia Tourell talk about the issues important to them in the upcoming election, Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Siobhan Batt and Mia Tourell say Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s work-from-home policy was “completely ridiculous” and the policy affected not just women and mothers, but single parents and fathers as well. “There is just no reason for it, and another thing too is that through Covid, people moved out rurally to afford property,” Ms Batt said.

Ms Tourell said the policy she approved of from Anthony Albanese was the move to slash medication prices on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Picture: Jason Edwards

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Redbridge director Kos Samaras there was growing evidence Mr Dutton had missed the boat in attempting to win women voters over.

“Over the last 18 months Labor lost the support of many women with young children in the outer suburbs and regions.” he said.

“They are a group that has felt the full force of the inflationary crisis, having to work longer hours and make their family budgets work.

“Dutton had a small window to win them over, as many were in the departure lounge, looking for an alternative.

“Instead, his recent policy announcements, like working from home, have scared them back to Labor.”

 

Redbridge tested voters’ reactions to a series of recently announced policies by both sides in the current election.

The most popular was the Labor’s $150 energy rebate at +65, followed by Peter Dutton’s pledge to cut the permanent immigration program by 25 per cent from around 185,000 to 140,000 which had a net favorability of +47.

In contrast Mr Dutton’s pledge to save $10 billion by reducing the size of the federal public service by 41,000 only had a net favorability of +5, while ending public servants’ work-from-home arrangements was on balance unpopular with a rating of minus -5.

Redbridge also tested the government’s signature cost-of-living policies – the Coalition’s fuel excise cut and Labor’s income tax cut — with the first being preferred by 40 per cent of voters and the second by 39 per cent.

The poll of 1006 people, conducted between March 8 and April 1, 2025, had the Liberals and Nationals on a primary vote of 36 per cent compared to 33 per cent for Labor.

Originally published as Federal Election 2025: Redbridge poll shows Labor has election-winning lead