Australia's Gillard climbs back in polls a year from elections

17 September 2012 08:55 am - 0 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard is climbing back into contention for the next general election, still about 12 months away, with two new opinion polls showing a boost for her Labor Party government.

Both a Newspoll, in the Australian newspaper, and a Nielsen poll in the Fairfax newspapers show support for Gillard's government has been building since July in a major turn-around for her minority government.

Government lawmakers said the polls reflected a growing acceptance of a controversial carbon tax, introduced in July, and that a heated opposition campaign against the tax was no longer working with voters.

"We always said that once the fear campaign about the climate change changes on July 1 dissipated, our vote would improve," Government Senate Leader Chris Evans told Australian radio.

The opposition has strongly campaigned against the carbon tax, warning it will force factories to close and push up prices, and has promised to scrap it if it wins power.

The polls follow public sympathy for Gillard following the death of her father, heated debate about both Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott's personal integrity before they entered parliament, and as the government reopens an immigration detention centre on the Pacific island of Nauru.

The Newspoll survey shows Gillard's support has hit an 18-month high, with her government and the conservative opposition locked at 50 points each on a two-party basis. The Nielsen poll shows Labor continuing an upward trend to be within reach of the opposition on 47 points to 53 percent for the opposition.

Both polls also show Gillard's personal approval to be above that of conservative opposition leader Abbott.

Gillard replaced former prime minister Kevin Rudd in a party-room coup in June 2010, and then went on to win a dead-heat election, forming a minority government with support from the Greens and three independent members of parliament.

But the Nielsen poll found voters would prefer Rudd to return as Labor Party leader and for former opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull to lead the Liberal Party in place of Abbott.

The next election is due in the second half of 2013.

(Reporting by James Grubel; Editing by Robert Birsel)

(Source : Reuters)

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

Comments - 0

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Australia's Gillard climbs back in polls a year from elections

Comments - 0

Add comment

RECOMMENDED

UDA owned land in Thalawathugoda; UDA Minister Prasanna Ranatunga under the spotlight for forceful occupation of reserved land

Loss-making SMIB faces political pressure in recovering loans

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: MV Dali, SL authorities anchored in mystery?

Has Sri Lanka become a potential hub for the illegal wildlife trade?

Spotlight on Moragahakanda Development Project Moragolla villagers lose livelihoods and down to one meal a day

Ambitious Sri Lankan jobseekers ‘trafficked into Ukraine war zones’

Western purple-faced langurs see blue!

Most Viewed in News

SL on alert on possible genocide allegations by Canada

April 15 declared a government holiday

23 year old youth ends up having his testicles removed

Former MP Palitha Thewarapperuma dies from electrocution

A US “Kaputa”, a Lankan “Nariya” and a Presidential “Feast”

New Visa procedure implemented

MIRROR CRICKET

TODAY'S HEADLINES