Federal Labor scores first poll win in eight months
Labor’s multibillion-dollar Medicare boost and support for Ukraine appeals to voters as fresh polling numbers revealed.
Labor has won the backing of a majority of voters for the first time in eight months after its multibillion-dollar Medicare boost and support for Ukraine won hearts and minds.
Fresh polling by YouGov found the federal government is ahead of the Coalition, at 51 per cent to 49 per cent, in the two-party preferred vote.
Its primary vote has risen by three percentage points.
Labor has not been ahead in the pollster’s data since July 2024. Last week, it trailed the opposition, at 49 percent to 51 percent.
“We don’t see big changes like this very often,” YouGov’s director of public data Paul Smith said on Friday.
You might like
Anthony Albanese has widened his lead as preferred prime minister to six percentage points from two. 45 percent of voters now back the Labor leader, compared to 39 percent for Coalition Leader Peter Dutton.
“That’s a big gap in a week – it’s beyond the margin of error,” Smith said.
Labor’s $8.5 billion boost to Medicare, announced in late February, played a significant role in lifting its primary vote to 31 per cent, although it still trails the Coalition on 36 per cent.
Albanese’s strong show of support for Ukraine in the face of a public spat between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart also contributed to a “very epic rise” in his standing.
Stay informed, daily
Dutton and Albanese were generally united in their stance on the war in Ukraine, but the Prime Minister benefited more because he was Australia’s leader, Smith said.
The number of respondents satisfied with Albanese rose to 42 per cent, from 40 per cent, while those content with Dutton’s performance as Opposition Leader fell to 43 per cent from 44 per cent.
With an election due to be held by May 17 at the latest, the data provides a much-needed confidence boost for Labor. Its popular support has waned since the heady heights it enjoyed after winning government in 2022.
The Greens’ primary vote has continued to fluctuate, dropping to 13 per cent, from 14, while the proportion of respondents preferring an independent candidate has remained at 10 per.
Speculation has mounted that Albanese could call an election in coming days for an April 12 polling date.
But the looming impact of Tropical Cyclone Alfred on Queensland and northern NSW has thrown any potential plans in the air.
In Queensland this week ahead of the cyclone’s arrival, Albanese has repeatedly hosed down speculation about the date of the federal poll.
The YouGov poll of 1504 people was conducted between February 28 and March 6 and has a margin of error of 3.4 per cent.cent.
