Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has taken a commanding lead in the race for power, with voters backing him as a strong leader while slashing their support for Labor to a record low of 25 per cent.
A new Resolve Political Monitor survey shows the Coalition now holds a 55-45 per cent lead over Labor in two-party-preferred terms, putting Anthony Albanese’s government on course for defeat.
Despite last week’s Reserve Bank interest rate cut, which the government had hoped would boost support, 59 per cent of voters said it would not change their vote.
The survey, conducted for this masthead by Resolve Strategic, paints a grim picture for Albanese, with 43 per cent of voters describing him and Labor as weak. In contrast, only 22 per cent see Dutton and the Coalition in the same light.
Dutton is also leading in key leadership metrics, with 37 per cent of voters saying the Coalition offers strong leadership, compared to just 24 per cent for Labor—a reversal from last year when Albanese led on this measure.
The Opposition Leader further extends his advantage on international relations, with 34 per cent of voters believing he would be better at handling a second Donald Trump presidency, compared to 18 per cent for Albanese.
For the second consecutive month, Dutton is the preferred prime minister, leading 39-35 per cent, though 26 per cent of voters remain undecided.
Resolve director Jim Reed told SMH the data indicates a clear swing towards the Coalition.
“The public mood has lifted after the rate cut, but it has not led to any increase in support for the government.”
Labor’s primary vote has plummeted from 30 per cent in November to 25 per cent in February, marking its lowest point since the election. Meanwhile, the Coalition’s primary vote has edged up to 39 per cent.
The poll also highlights growing support for minor parties, with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation rising from 7 to 9 per cent, while independent support dropped slightly from 10 to 9 per cent.
A separate YouGov MRP poll suggests the Coalition is on track to win about 73 seats, with a chance of forming a majority government. The model also indicates Labor could lose up to 15 seats, including traditional strongholds like Werriwa.
Labor’s struggles are particularly pronounced in outer-suburban areas, where cost-of-living pressures are expected to dominate the election campaign.
With an election due by May 17, the race is heating up, and the Coalition is emerging as the frontrunner. However, with months still to go, the battle for votes remains far from over.
Support Our Journalism
The global Indian Diaspora and Australia’s multicultural communities need fair, non-hyphenated, and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. The Australia Today—with exceptional reporters, columnists, and editors—is doing just that. Sustaining this requires support from wonderful readers like you.
Whether you live in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America, or India you can take a paid subscription by clicking Patreon
