News Mania / Piyal Chatterjee / 14th October 2024
According to a widely reported poll released on Monday, the conservative opposition alliance in Australia has overtaken the Labor government for the first time since the May 2022 election, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s popularity has reached all-time lows. Under Australia’s preferential voting system, which redistributes votes from minor parties until a winner is elected, the Liberal-National coalition currently leads Labor 51-49 on a two-party preferred basis, according to a Newspoll done for The Australian newspaper.
The previous survey found that, despite the opposition and Labor maintaining a 38–31 edge in the primary vote, the coalition’s narrow lead was due to a modest shift in support over minor parties. However, the poll kept predicting a hung parliament because the opposition’s existing lead was insufficient to gain enough seats to take back control. According to the poll, a minority Labor government remains the most likely scenario.
Despite the fact that Albanese’s center-left government has been implementing a number of relief measures for families dealing with living expenses and exorbitant mortgage rates, the poll results represent a setback for him ahead of the anticipated May national election. In August, headline inflation dropped to 2.7%, falling back within the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) target range of 2-3%. However, the RBA has warned that the monthly measure is erratic and that it will assess any short-term effects.
Although the RBA somewhat moderated its hawkish approach last month by stating that a rate hike was not considered, rates have remained locked at 4.35% since November of last year. At minus 14, Albanese’s approval rating dropped to its lowest point since taking office as prime minister. His happiness ratings dropped three points to 40%, and his displeasure rose three points to 54%. Peter Dutton, the head of the opposition, is significantly less popular, with 52%.
