May 28, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The Australian Labor Party (ALP) gained public support this month, according to a poll by Roy Morgan International. 51.5 per cent of respondents would vote for the governing party in the next election to the House of Representatives, up 4.5 points in a week.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The Australian Labor Party (ALP) gained public support this month, according to a poll by Roy Morgan International. 51.5 per cent of respondents would vote for the governing party in the next election to the House of Representatives, up 4.5 points in a week.

The Coalition of Liberals and Nationals is second with 35 per cent, followed by the Australian Greens with 8.5 per cent, and Family First with one per cent. Australia’s preferential voting system—where electors indicate an order of predilection for each contender, and the ballots from smaller parties are re-distributed—gives the ALP a 22-point lead over the Coalition.

Australia held a federal election in November 2007. Final results gave the ALP 85 seats in the 150-member House of Representatives. ALP leader Kevin Rudd was officially sworn in as prime minister in December, bringing an end to the 11-year tenure of Liberal leader John Howard as head of Australia’s government.

Howard failed to retain his seat in the Bennelong constituency and stepped down as Liberal leader. Brendan Nelson—a former defence minister—defeated former environment minister Malcolm Turnbull in an internal leadership ballot by just three votes.

On May 26, Rudd announced that he will travel to Japan and Indonesia in June, saying, "This visit is to advance Australia’s economic and security interests with two of Australia’s most important bilateral partners."

Polling Data

If a federal election for the House of Representatives were being held today, which party would receive your first preference?

	May 18	May 11	Apr. 17
Australian Labor Party	51.5%	47%	55%
Coalition (Liberal / National)	35%	37%	33%
Australian Greens	8.5%	9%	6%
Family First	1%	1%	1%
Others	4%	6%	5%

Two-Party Preferred Vote

	May 18	May 11	Apr. 17
Australian Labor Party	61%	58%	64%
Coalition (Liberal / National)	39%	42%	36%

Source: Roy Morgan International
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,055 Australian voters, conducted on May 17 and May 18, 2008. No margin of error was provided.