PM’s popularity plummets after Bondi attack and expenses scandal
These views have contributed to Albanese’s decline in popularity and performance ratings in the three weeks since the last poll; These polls were dominated by anger over Communications Minister Anika Wells’ use of government spending before the Bondi shooting.
The Prime Minister’s net performance rating, which compares those who think he is doing a good or bad job, fell 15 points from +6 at the beginning of the month to -9, the lowest level since the May election. His net favorability dropped 14 points, from +9 to -5; This is on par with September results.
Ley’s ratings also dropped, although to a lesser extent. While his net performance score decreased from +3 to -4, his favorability increased from +8 to +1. That has narrowed the gap with Australians’ preferred prime minister, but Albanese maintains his lead with 38 per cent choosing him and 30 per cent choosing Ley.
“The Prime Minister has taken a personal blow from all this. His likeability, his performance, his leadership and Labor’s primary vote are at their lowest since the May election,” Reed said.
“Just a few weeks ago the passage of several bills and his wedding looked like Albanese would end the year on a good note, but his political honeymoon ended soon after.”
Labor’s primary vote fell by 3 points, while the Coalition’s and One Nation’s primary vote increased by 2 points each. One Nation is now the preferred party of 16 percent of voters; this party has its highest ever result in the Resolve Political Monitor and its voters have the darkest view of social cohesion.
But the government maintains a strong lead on a two-party basis, giving the Coalition a 54-46 lead.
There is broad agreement that racism and religious intolerance have increased since the conflict in Gaza began in October 2023; While 72 percent of people agreed with this statement, only 9 percent disagreed. This rate was 69 percent in January and 57 percent last March.
Among those who think racism is worsening, there is a strong view that this is due to an increase in antisemitism. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said there was more antisemitism; In January, 54 percent agreed, and last March, just over 33 percent agreed.
While 13 per cent of people say Islamophobia has increased by 4 points since January and 32 per cent are unsure what triggers racism, more than half of those unsure why this has decreased in the past year.
A majority of respondents (76 percent) think there should be more stringent immigration screening to detect anti-Semitic or extremist views; Only 7 percent of people opposed the measure.
“The attack was directly aimed at the Jewish community, but the rest of Australia feels it and is concerned. Only a minority think our social cohesion is good at the moment, and most see racism increasing in the last two years,” Reed said.
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