The federal Labor government is riding high in a new poll of voters and appears to be having an extended honeymoon period since winning office three months ago.
A Resolve Strategic poll published in Nine newspapers on Tuesday shows Labor has lifted its primary vote to 42 per cent, from about 33 per cent ahead of the May 21 election.
Anthony Albanese is leading Opposition Leader Peter Dutton on the preferred prime minister stakes by 55 per cent to 17 per cent.
“It’s not uncommon for a new government to enjoy a honeymoon period where voters are hopeful for change under the new management,” Resolve director Jim Reed told Nine newspapers.
“But the size of Labor’s vote gain is more than that. This is a relieved electorate affirming they collectively made the right choice.”
The poll of 2011 voters and was conducted from Wednesday to Sunday when the furore over revelations that former prime minister Scott Morrison had himself secretly sworn into five ministerial portfolios was hitting the headlines.
Labor minister Bill Shorten said the poll showed the positivity expressed towards the party at the election was continuing.
“Yeah, it is good. The goodwill continues,” he told Nine’s Today Show.
Television networks were on Tuesday morning airing social media footage of Mr Albanese sculling a beer and being cheered by the audience at a concert at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on Monday night.
“I get a sense of relief where we go in Australia, so I think you saw an outpouring of that last night,” Mr Shorten said after being shown the clip.
