Prime minister Scott Morrison’s personal approval rating has plunged 10 points in a fortnight and entered negative territory for the first time, the latest Newspoll shows.
The drop in Mr Morrison’s net approval from +7 to -3 follows a bruising sitting fortnight for the government. An historic electoral backlash in the Wentworth by-election saw independent Kerryn Phelps snatch one of Australia’s safest Liberal seats and end the Coalition’s one-seat majority in the House of Representatives.
The prime minister is still well clear of opposition leader Bill Shorten, who sits on -13.
But Labor continues its dominance in the two-party split and would win an election if it were held this weekend, with the gap widening slightly to 54 – 46.
Only around a third of voters wanted the government to call an early election this year, according to the News Corp poll – which fits well with Mr Morrison’s indications he intends to hold an election in April or May next year.
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