Anthony Albanese’s approval rating has plummeted to a new low since becoming Prime Minister following his referendum loss as support for Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has risen.
Mr Albanese’s approval dropped from 51 per cent to 46 per cent, according to the latest Newspoll conducted exclusively for The Australian.It marked the first time his ratings dipped to below 50 per cent since taking the top job in May 2022.Meanwhile, Mr Dutton’s ratings rose from 31 to 36 per cent.
It was the first major poll conducted since October 13 – the day before voters would knock back the Voice to Parliament referendum.
Mr Albanese, who took full responsibility for the referendum defeat, called on the nation to come together after every state and territory aside from the Australian Capital Territory voted against the Voice.
“When you do the hard things, when you aim high, sometimes you fall short. And tonight we acknowledge, understand and respect that we have,” he said in a speech on October 14.
The Prime Minister, who has been accused of failing to focus on the nationwide cost of living crisis, said he would continue to work on closing the gap.
Mr Dutton, at the same time, walked back on his promise to hold a second referendum for Indigenous constitutional recognition if he is voted in at the next federal election.
“I think it’s clear that the Australian public is probably over the referendum process for some time,” he said on October 16.
The Opposition Leader, however, later maintained constitutional recognition was still Liberal policy but stressed a government should not go to a referendum without bipartisan support.
The latest Newspoll showed the gap between the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader has significantly closed with only 10 points now separating them.
It marked the closest margins between the pair since they faced each other in the 2022 federal election.
The Newspoll recorded the Coalition ahead on the primary vote by two points at 37 per cent to Labor’s 35 per cent.
Support for Labor also dropped from 54 to 52 in the two-party preferred contest with the Coalition up to 48 from 46.
The Newspoll, conducted between October 30 and November 3, surveyed 1,220 voters across the nation via online interviews.
(Sky News)
