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(Bloomberg) -- Support for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor government has risen to its highest point in 11 months ahead of a vote on May 3, against a backdrop of President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs sent Australia’s trade-sensitive markets in a tailspin Friday.
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The center-left Labor Party saw its vote rise to 52% on a two-party preferred basis in a Newspoll survey released by The Australian newspaper on Sunday, up a point from last week and its strongest result since May 2024. At the same time, support for the opposition Liberal-National Coalition sunk one point to 48%.
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Albanese’s approval rating dropped slightly to 42% while opposition Liberal leader Peter Dutton’s popularity rose one point, but the prime minister is still more popular than his opponent. In a survey of voter opinions, Albanese was considered more likable, caring and experienced than Dutton, while the former Queensland police officer was more strong and decisive, but also more arrogant.
Australia is heading to an election next month, with Albanese attempting to become the first Australian leader in two decades to win consecutive elections. However with just a slim majority in Australia’s lower house of parliament, the loss of even a handful of seats could force him to rely on minor parties and independent lawmakers to govern.
It comes as the first week of the 2025 election campaign was overshadowed by President Trump’s announcement of reciprocal tariffs, which saw Australia hit with a 10% levy on all imports to the US. Albanese said the actions were “not the act of a friend” and unveiled a suite of measures to protect Australian industry.
Dutton, whose policies on government workers and social policy have sparked comparisons to Trump, said he would rebuild the relationship with the White House, adding he could have achieved a better result if he had been in power.
Polls show that Australians deeply dislike Trump, with a Redbridge poll released in March finding 59% of those surveyed saying they had an unfavorable impression of the US leader.
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