Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership takeover is continuing to prove popular, with the new prime minister’s personal rating soaring and the coalition outstripping Labor in the latest poll.
According to a Newspoll published by The Australian late on Monday, 55 per cent of voters rated Mr Turnbull as the preferred prime minister, giving him a 34-point lead over Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, on 21 per cent.
Mr Turnbull’s rating makes him the most popular prime minister since Julia Gillard in July 2010.
On two-party-preferred terms, the coalition led Labor 51 to 49 per cent, the first time the government has been in front for the last 30 Newspolls.
The survey follows a Galaxy poll last week that also recorded a 51-49 per cent coalition lead over Labor, and a 51 per cent vote for Mr Turnbull as preferred prime minister.
Labor has dismissed the latest opinion poll showing a major turnaround in the federal government’s fortunes.
Labor senator Sam Dastyari told ABC TV on Tuesday the results, published in The Australian, were just a sugar hit and he expects they will “come back down to Earth pretty soon”.
