(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The majority of Australians are content with the work Kevin Rudd has done so far as head of government, according to a poll by Newspoll published in The Australian. 58 per cent of respondents are satisfied with Rudd’s performance, unchanged since late July.

Australia held a federal election in November 2007. Final results gave Rudd’s Australian Labor Party (ALP) 85 seats in the 150-member House of Representatives. 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. Nelson—a former defence minister—defeated former environment minister Malcolm Turnbull in an internal leadership ballot by just three votes. 31 per cent of respondents are satisfied with Nelson’s performance as opposition leader, down two points in two weeks.

In the preferred prime minister category, 68 per cent of respondents choose Rudd, while 12 per cent pick Nelson as head of government.

In late July, the Liberal and National parties of Queensland merged to form the Liberal National Party (LNP). Nelson welcomed the decision, saying, "This merger will significantly enhance the prospects of the new Liberal National Party of Queensland presenting an effective alternative for Queensland voters and strengthen our prospects for the defeat of the [Anna] Bligh government."

Polling Data

Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Kevin Rudd is doing his job as prime minister?

Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Brendan Nelson is doing his job as leader of the opposition?

Who do you think would make the better prime minister?

Source: Newspoll / The Australian
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,140 Australian voters, conducted from Aug. 8 to Aug. 10, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

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