Western Australians and younger Australians are abandoning their support for Anthony Albanese, the latest Newspoll has revealed.
Analysis from The Australian found while nationally, Labor was still four points (52 to 48) ahead of the Coalition based on a two-party preferred basis, support for the Opposition had tipped to 51 to 49 per cent in Western Australia (WA).
The results reflected the first time Peter Dutton’s Coalition has surpassed Labor since they lost government in May 2022.
Since the last quarterly results were published, the Opposition also gained one point in NSW, with the two-party split narrowing to 50-50. In South Australia, Labor’s lead had also diminished by one point to 46-54.
Queensland was the only state which showed a one point increase to the government to 53-47.
The poll found support of the Albanese government was also dropping among young voters, with Labor’s 66-34 lead dropping five points to 61-39.
Analysis of primary vote for young voters also showed Labor dropping five points from 38 to 35 points since December’s results.
Meanwhile, the Coalition gained five points to 27, surpassing support for the Greens (34 points- a drop of one point), Pauline Hanson’s One Nation (unchanged at 6 points), and other parties (10 points, an increase by one point).
Across all ages, primary vote for the Coalition remained at 37 points since the last Newspoll, with Labor (33) gaining one point from the Greens (12), since March’s Newspoll.
Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie said the polling was reflective of a wider trend of younger voters not being engaged with politics.
“I do notice with, younger voters that they are very disengaged from politics, to be honest with you, you see that from standing on street corners, none of them want to look at you on buses,” she said on Today.
“I think if someone can crack that (getting young voters interested in politics), you know, we’ll all have a good go in the game.”
Her panel mate Neil Breen said dropping support could be linked to increasing house prices and rent during a cost-of-living crisis.
“I think younger voters are off. The government because of house prices and rent. I truly believe it,” he said.
“I’ve got a daughter at university who frets about how she’s ever going to buy a house, ever in her whole life. So I think it’s a massive issue.”