Labor primary vote dips but still ahead on two-party preferred measure

The Federal Labor government’s tax cut changes have failed to deliver much of a lift in the opinion polls, just days out from a crucial by-election.

Both the Resolve Political Monitor, published in Nine newspapers, and the Newspoll, published in The Australian show Labor has lost some skin on the primary vote measure.

Resolve has the coalition at 37 per cent against Labor at 34 per cent, while Newspoll shows the coalition ahead at 36 per cent against Labor at 33 per cent.

Both polls, published on Monday, showed a dip in the primary vote from the previous surveys.

Resolve also asked about 1600 voters if they supported Labor’s changes to the stage 3 tax cuts, which increased tax breaks for lower paid workers while lowering the benefit for higher income earners.

More than half — 52 per cent — backed the change while 14 per cent opposed it, with 35 per cent undecided.

Also, a breakdown of income categories showed all voters backed the change including higher income earners.

Asked if they viewed Labor’s changes as a broken promise, given the party went to the last federal election promising no change, 46 per cent said that changing the policy to “suit the times” was sensible.

Another 34 per cent said it amounted to a broken promise.

But 61 per cent said it didn’t make them think differently about the prime minister.

Newspoll also showed the government was ahead on a two-party preferred basis at 52 per cent to 48 per cent.

Newspoll found Anthony Albanese was still ahead in the better prime minister stakes at 47 per cent, compared to 35 per cent for Coalition Leader Peter Dutton.

Resolve found Mr Albanese was ahead 39 per cent to 32 per cent as preferred prime minister.

A federal by-election will be held in the Victorian seat of Dunkley on Saturday, following the death last year of Labor MP Peta Murphy.

Opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume said the mood in the electorate was one of anger towards the government over cost of living pressures.

“It’s going to be tough, there is no doubt about it,” she told Sky News.

Nathan Conroy, the mayor of Frankston City Council, is contesting the seat for the Liberal Party.

Standing alongside Labor candidate Jodie Belyea on Sunday, Mr Albanese acknowledged it was going to be tough to hold the seat, where Labor has a 6.3 per cent margin.

But he was still confident that his government’s tax cut changes had been well-received.

“Every single taxpayer here ... will receive a tax cut and that will make an enormous difference,” he said in Dunkley.