Nat Barr gives Anthony Albanese’s government a tough reality check – as poll shows support for him plummet

A senior Labor party minister has been given a blunt reality check as the latest polls show a drop in support for the party.

Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek on Monday morning faced some tough questions from Sunrise host Natalie Barr as support for Labor and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s approval ratings have both fallen sharply in the first Newspoll conducted since the Voice to Parliament referendum defeat.

When asked by Barr if she was concerned by the latest poll results, Plibersek said that ‘polls jump around’ and that the government was focused on their commitments to Australians.

‘Polls jump around but the Prime Minister is absolutely determined to do what he promised, he promised a referendum, he did it, he promised cheaper childcare he delivered, he promised cheaper medicines, we’re doing that.

‘We promised a higher wages away doing that, free TAFE, we’re doing that, we’re going to keep focusing on what we committed to do,’ she said.

Barr pointed out that support for the Labor Party was  ‘going down though in every measure’. 

‘Do you bring the sort of thing up though? I know you can’t say exactly but do you sit around and go hang on guys we really, this is a concern, especially in Labor supporters and all the measures are heading down, do you mention it at all?’ Barr asked the minister. 

‘Were focusing on is making sure we’ve got strong health system, strong education system that were investing in infrastructure that people need, housing, roads, renewable energy transition, the real business of government, that’s what we talk about,’ Plibersek replied. 

Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek on Monday morning faced some tough questions from Natalie Barr 

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Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce was also on the program and said Plibersek was repeating pre-agreed party ‘lines’. 

‘There’s a place called the prime ministers office and they said “Tanya these are lines you must say, everything is great and everything is wonderful, nothing to see here”.’

‘Really the truth is people are lined up outside food banks getting food for free. 

‘She bought up the energy transition that people hated, transmissions lines and solar factories and power prices going through the roof, reliabilities going to the floor, money shooting off overseas. They’re off the ball.’ 

Mr Joyce also called the recent referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament an ‘absolute debacle’. 

The coalition leads Labor on the primary vote, 37 per cent to 35 per cent, according to the poll published in The Australian on Monday.

Anthony Albanese’s approval rating has dropped four points to 42 per cent in the latest Newspoll

On a two-party preferred basis, Labor leads the coalition 52 per cent to 48 per cent – its weakest result since it won government in 2022.

The survey of 1220 voters, conducted between October 30 and November 3, showed Albanese’s approval rating dropped four points to 42 per cent while his dissatisfaction rating rose six points to 52 per cent.

Albanese’s popularity as the nation’s preferred prime minister also slipped, falling five points to 46 per cent with Liberal leader Peter Dutton on 36 per cent.

Dutton’s performance as opposition leader enjoyed a two-point rise to 37 per cent of voters satisfied while his dissatisfaction rating of 50 per cent was lower than the prime minister’s for the first time.