Newspoll: Anthony Albanese slips as nation’s preferred PM, Dutton and Liberals close support gap

Anthony Albanese’s status as the nation’s preferred leader has slipped, with Newspoll reporting that Opposition leader Peter Dutton has narrowed the gap to single digits for the first time since the election.

In The Australian’s Newspoll, as the Coalition’s support drew level with Labor for just the second time since the election, Mr Dutton also saw his support as preferred Prime Minister jump five points to 38 per cent.

Mr Albanese’s support dropped to 46 per cent — leaving the gap between the two leaders at just 8 per cent, the smallest since the election.

The Prime Minister’s approval dropped four points to 43 per cent while voters dissatisfied grew three points to 50 per cent, a net negative support of minus seven.

Mr Dutton’s support grew to 39 per cent, while disapproval fell a point to 49 per cent.

Primary support for Labor dropped to just a third of voters, while the Coalition grew to 39 per cent. Support for the Greens shrunk to 11 per cent, while Independents polled 10 per cent.

The tightening of support between the major parties comes amid speculation that the next election, due before May of next year, could result in a hung Parliament and a minority government.

While the Government has attempted to shift the political debate over the Liberals’ nuclear power policy, recently, the focus in Parliament has remained on immigration and the controversy stemming from Andrew Giles’ Direction 99.