Record-low poll puts Labor attack dogs on offensive

Anthony Albanese, Australia's current Prime Minister, has experienced his lowest approval rating since 2022, according to a new Newspoll survey. The survey, conducted on a sample of 1,244 voters, shows a net satisfaction rating of -27% for Albanese, with only around a quarter of Australians expressing their support for the Labor Party. This figure represents the lowest support for Labor in nearly 15 years.

The week before the record-breaking poll, former Liberal leader Peter Dutton scored -24% on the same metric. In this latest poll, 54% of respondents now support parties other than Labor or the coalition, with One Nation leading the pack at 30% of the primary vote share. However, Albanese still enjoys more support than One Nation's Pauline Hanson, who received 32% of the votes.

Albanese's approval rating is part of a year-long decline for Labor, which has seen a drop from 37% in support 12 months ago. This decline has been attributed to a series of economic challenges, including the Bondi terrorist attack, tax concessions removal in the May federal budget, and a gloomy economic outlook.

Labor's frontbenchers acknowledged the current malaise but focused on addressing the economic pressure through higher wages. They emphasized that One Nation's stance on workers being "lazy" and easily replaceable does not align with their party's position. Andrew Charlton, Science and Technology Minister, argued that Labor is the only party capable of providing relief to frustrated Australians, who are suffering from low wages growth, crises stemming from the past decade, and rising prices.

Despite the declining support, Labor's vote share remains the lowest since shortly before they ousted then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard in 2013. Minister Charlton reaffirmed his support for Albanese, stating that he remains a key figure in the party.