Hard times turn voters off Labor in election lead-up
Source: AAP
Australians want a government to support them through hard times and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insists his party can deliver – despite new polling suggesting Labor faces a tough spell in the lead-up to the federal election.
Albanese has spent the first weeks of the year courting voters across Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia, NSW and Tasmania, and he can feel their sentiment.
“The mood that I pick up is two things: One, people want a government that is supportive of them during difficult economic times,” he told ABC radio on Friday.
“Secondly, they want an optimistic vision for the future, and that is what Labor is building.”
But one of the first major polls of the 2025 election year shows Albanese faces a treacherous path to a second term.

A small majority of voters are unhappy with Albanese’s performance as PM. Image: AAP
Latest polling by YouGov shows the Coalition leading Labor 51 per cent to 49 on a two-party preferred basis.
The figures from YouGov’s January survey showed the Coalition increasing its lead over the government by 0.5 percentage points compared with November.
Just months out from a federal election that must be held by May 17, Labor’s primary vote has increased from 30 per cent in November to 32 per cent.
The opposition’s primary share has also risen slightly from 38 per cent to 39 per cent in the same period.
Support for the Greens has gone backward from 13 per cent to 12 per cent while backing for One Nation has fallen from 9 per cent to 7 per cent.
Voter backing for other candidates such as independents remained steady at 10 per cent.
YouGov’s director of polling Amir Daftari said while primary support had remained stable for the government, its drop in support on a two-party level had been months in the making.
“While the results are too close to make a definitive call, Labor’s two-party preferred vote has been on a downward trend since July last year,” he said.
“This decline is driven by a rising Coalition primary vote and lower preferences from minor party voters to Labor across the board.”
Labor was in front of the Coalition 52 per cent to 48 per cent at the start of 2024, but its margin has been chipped away by voter concern about cost-of-living and inflation pressures.
The polling has shown bright spots for the PM, with Albanese leading Dutton 44 per cent to 40 per cent as preferred leader.
Dutton’s rating has risen in the past 12 months – from the 35 per cent in January 2024.
Albanese has also gained some ground for his personal satisfaction rating, with 40 per cent voters approving his handling of his role – up from 36 per cent in November. However, 55 per cent disapprove of his performance.
Albanese’s net satisfaction stands at -15, up slightly from -20 in November.
The Opposition Leader’s net satisfaction was -6 in the January poll, with 43 per cent approving and 49 per cent disapproving his performance.

Dutton still tails Albanese in personal support – but he is on the rise. Image: AAP
Albanese has yet to set an election date and says he will not reveal his hand early.
“People need to chill a bit,” he said.
However, both major party leaders have spent the first weeks of 2025 in pseudo-campaign mode, visiting marginal electorates and announcing local campaign promises.
Albanese has been accused of splashing cash on these whirlwind trips but Treasurer Jim Chalmers said most of the promises were not new spending.
“The vast bulk of the announcements that we have been making in recent times were already accounted for in the mid-year budget update,” he told Sky.
“That money will flow from this year, and it’s a really important investment accounted for and entirely consistent with the responsible economic management which has been a feature of this Albanese Labor government.”
The survey polled 1504 people between January 9-15.
-AAP