Australia’s Ruling Labor Party Seeks to Retain Power with Slim Majority
Ruling Labor under PM Anthony Albanese held a slim 52–48 lead over the Liberal-National opposition coalition.
Poll Shows Labor’s Lead Widens
A Newspoll survey conducted for The Australian newspaper has shown that support for the Liberal-National opposition coalition has fallen below levels seen at the last election in 2022, while approval for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has ticked up. The poll, conducted among just under 1,300 voters, shows that Labor is ahead of the opposition 52-48 on a two-party preferred basis under Australia’s preferential voting system.
Approval Ratings Improve
Albanese’s approval rating has lifted to -4, aligning with an improvement in Labor’s rise in support, from -20 in February, his worst as prime minister. He has also extended his lead as the preferred leader, while opposition leader Peter Dutton’s approval fell to among the worst of his term.
Election Could Deliver Hung Parliament
The election could also deliver a hung parliament with Labor likely forming a minority government, the poll said. This would be a significant shift from the previous election, where Labor won a majority government.
Market Turmoil and Return-to-Office Policy
The poll follows a week dominated by market turmoil triggered by US President Donald Trump’s tariff plans, and after the opposition abandoned plans to force federal workers to return to full-time office working. The US, which enjoys a trade surplus with ally Australia, imposed a 10% "reciprocal" tariff, prompting Albanese to describe it as "not the act of a friend". The return-to-office policy was seized upon by Labor, which said it would increase commuting costs in a campaign that has been dominated by cost-of-living concerns.
Albanese Downplays Poll Results
Despite the recent surge in polling for him and his Labor party, Albanese on Monday downplayed the latest survey and said the campaign would be very close. "We have a mountain to climb," Albanese told reporters. "I am certainly not getting ahead of myself. It’s hard to win an election if you look around the world, it has been a difficult time to be in government because of global inflation."
Conclusion
The latest poll results suggest that Labor may retain power with a slim majority, but the election is still a close contest. The outcome will depend on various factors, including voter turnout and the performance of the two major parties in the final weeks of the campaign.
FAQs
- What is the current state of the election?
- According to the latest poll, Labor is ahead of the opposition 52-48 on a two-party preferred basis.
- Has Labor’s approval rating improved?
- Yes, Albanese’s approval rating has lifted to -4, aligning with an improvement in Labor’s rise in support.
- What are the key issues in the election campaign?
- Cost-of-living concerns, market turmoil, and the return-to-office policy are among the key issues dominating the campaign.
- What is the likelihood of a hung parliament?
- The poll suggests that a hung parliament is possible, with Labor likely forming a minority government.