Australian PM’s support slumps after weak GDP growth figures
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Mr Albanese’s net satisfaction has also dropped to -7, down from a net rating of 0.
PHOTO: AFP
SYDNEY – Support for Australia’s centre-left Labor government has slumped after a week of poor economic news and political tensions over immigration, according to a new poll, leaving Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s party at its equal lowest point since it won power two years ago.
In a Newspoll survey published by The Australian newspaper on June 9, 50 per cent of Australian voters surveyed said they supported the Labor government on a two-party preferred basis, while 50 per cent said they were leaning towards the centre-right Liberal-National Coalition.
It is Mr Albanese’s worst polling result since November, and far below the strong levels of support for his government shortly after it was elected in May 2022.
The Prime Minister’s net satisfaction has also dropped to minus seven, down from a net rating of zero.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has enjoyed a boost to his popularity, though he still trails Mr Albanese as preferred prime minister.
Australia is due to head to an election within 12 months.
The drop in support comes after a difficult week for the Albanese government, with new data last week showing Australia’s economy grew just 0.1 per cent in the first three months of 2024 – below economists’ expectations.
Year on year, Australia’s gross domestic product grew by 1.1 per cent, also missing estimates.
It was the country’s weakest economic growth, outside of the Covid-19 pandemic, since the first quarter of 1992, when the country was emerging from a recession.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers pointed to the result as vindication of his decision to boost government spending in the May budget, describing growth as “flat”.
It came just over a week after monthly inflation figures for April showed inflation was proving more sticky than expected in Australia.
The Albanese government also spent the past week defending its record on immigration after the opposition accused Labor of weakening deportation directions at the request of the New Zealand government.
Following days of heated debate in Parliament, Immigration Minister Andrew Giles issued new directives on June 7 intended to place a greater emphasis on community safety. BLOOMBERG
