Most voters expect Labor minority government: Newspoll

Support for the coalition and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has slipped according to a Newspoll that also suggests most voters expect Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to be re-elected.

The survey conducted for The Australian puts Labor on 52 per cent to the coalition’s 48 per cent on a two-party-preferred basis, unchanged from the pollster’s reading of support in the previous week.

When asked to predict the outcome of the May 3 election, 64 per cent of respondents said they expected a Labor government while 36 per cent said they thought the coalition would win.

A Labor minority government - being backed up with the support of minor parties or independents - was thought the mostly likely result by 43 per cent.

The survey of 1271 voters was conducted online between April 7 and April 10, before the formal campaign launches of Labor and the coalition on Sunday.

Mr Albanese rallied Labor supporters in Perth, where he promised 100,000 homes reserved for first-time buyers only, while Mr Dutton used his launch in western Sydney to offer first home-buyers tax deductible mortgage interest payments on the first $650,000.

On primary votes, the Newspoll registered a one-point drop for the coalition to 35 per cent while Labor’s support remained steady on 33 per cent.

Backing for the Greens as well as the minor parties and independents category was also unchanged, with both on 12 per cent, as One Nation gained one point to eight per cent.

The survey registered a seven-point rise in approval for Mr Albanese, leaving the prime minister on an overall reading of minus four, but Mr Dutton’s net approval rating dipped two points to minus 19.

Mr Albanese’s rating as being the better prime minister was up one point to 49 per cent while those preferring Mr Dutton in the role dipped two points to 38 per cent.

A YouGov poll last week also put Labor ahead of the coalition, 52.5 per cent to 47.5 per cent, on a two-party-preferred basis.

Early voting for the federal election starts on Tuesday, April 22.