Julia, you are safe with me … and LATEST NEWSPOLL poll

Julia Gillard and Labor flatlining with voters: Newspoll

by: Dennis Shanahan, Political editor
From: The Australian
January 31, 2012 12:00AM

SUPPORT for the Gillard government is flatlining, with Labor in its weakest position on record for the start of a new parliamentary year as Julia Gillard gives ground to Tony Abbott as preferred prime minister.

Labor support among voters has not shifted during the summer break, with the party’s primary vote on 30 per cent and the Coalition maintaining its clear election-winning lead going into the year on 45 per cent.

Based on preference flows at the previous election, the Coalition’s eight-point, two-party-preferred lead of 54 per cent to 46 per cent remained unchanged between the end of the parliamentary session last month and last weekend.

During the break – marked by the Prime Minister dumping her written agreement with Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie on poker machine reforms and the controversy over her office’s role in triggering a riot on Australia Day – Ms Gillard’s personal standing fell. Satisfaction with the Prime Minister dropped from 36 per cent last month to 33 per cent last weekend.

SUPPORT for the Gillard government is flatlining, with Labor in its weakest position on record for the start of a new parliamentary year as Julia Gillard gives ground to Tony Abbott as preferred prime minister.

Labor support among voters has not shifted during the summer break, with the party’s primary vote on 30 per cent and the Coalition maintaining its clear election-winning lead going into the year on 45 per cent.

Based on preference flows at the previous election, the Coalition’s eight-point, two-party-preferred lead of 54 per cent to 46 per cent remained unchanged between the end of the parliamentary session last month and last weekend.

During the break – marked by the Prime Minister dumping her written agreement with Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie on poker machine reforms and the controversy over her office’s role in triggering a riot on Australia Day – Ms Gillard’s personal standing fell. Satisfaction with the Prime Minister dropped from 36 per cent last month to 33 per cent last weekend.

Read the rest in The Australian HERE
Karl Stevens