Government reset sees Liberals stage slight rebound in latest EMRS opinion poll
Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s reset has nipped Labor leader Rebecca White’s one-poll rally as preferred premier in the bud.
Tasmania
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The government’s political “reset” appears to have paid off, with Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff regaining the mantle of preferred premier from Labor leader Rebecca White, the latest opinion polling shows.
Mr Rockliff was nominated as preferred premier by 42 per cent of respondents in the EMRS survey released on Thursday, up from 38 per cent in May.
Ms White was down one percentage point over the last survey to 39 per cent.
The Liberals retain a 38-32 per cent lead over Labor. The six-point gap is up from five per cent in May.
The Greens recorded 14 per cent support in the wake of the departure of their long-time leader Cassy O’Connor, down from 15 per cent in the previous survey.
Support for the minor party and “others” is down from a recent high of 33 per cent in May to 30 per cent in August.
The longer term polling trend reflects a slow mid-term decline in support for the government, which enjoyed 49 per cent backing in August 2021.
Labor’s support has risen, but more slowly than the government has fallen, as the opposition has increased its support from 28 per cent to 32 per cent of voters.
The poll points to neither of the majority parties being able to form government without the support of either minor party MPs or independents in a 35-seat House of Assembly.
EMRS’ managing director Paul Jamrozik said the poll reflected stable voter support and that none of the three main parties have been able to make up significant ground after the steep decline in Liberal support in May.
“Labor’s support has increased just one point, while support for the Greens currently stands
at 14 per cent, down one point from 15 per cent in May,” he said.
“After a three-point rise in combined support for an independent candidate or other minor party to 18 per cent in May, the August poll shows that support has fallen slightly to 16 per cent.
“Although the Government is currently six points ahead of the Labor opposition in voter
support, their lead has halved since February.
“As to the two major party leaders, Liberal’s Jeremy Rockliff has regained ground and now
has a three-point lead over Labor’s Rebecca White as preferred premier.”
“It remains to be seen whether the results in the May poll, conducted at a time of several
widely publicised issues for the State Government, are a one-off or represent a more
sustained rebound for the Government.”
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