Turnbull's popularity drops below level that sparked Abbott coup

The Federal Government passed an ominous milestone on Tuesday – major polling revealed it is now less popular than when Tony Abbott was dumped as Prime Minister.

One year ago, Malcolm Turnbull sounded the final siren on the Abbott Prime Ministership, declaring he was acting because the government had lost 30 opinion polls in a row.

Then, the Coalition’s primary vote as 39 per cent. On Tuesday, under Malcolm Turnbull, it hit 38.

At 48 to 52 after preferences, it is the Turnbull Government’s worst Newspoll result, though voters still prefer the Prime Minister over Labor’s Bill Shorten.

• 'All talk, no action': Clinton and Trump clash in first presidential debate

• Queensland premier steps up campaign against SBS Struggle Street plans

Cabinet ministers arrived in Canberra on Tuesday to discuss the government’s half billion dollar backpacker tax, hated by growers who rely on the foreign workers.

The government says it will shrink the tax from 32-and-a-half cents in the dollar to 19.

Others are angry that the plan to pay for it - a $5 increase to the passenger tax in ticket prices Australians or visitors pay as they leave the country.

Mr Shorten said the government was backpedaling.

“Now they’re going to make every traveller pay more tax because this government can’t do a backpacker tax properly,” he said.

The backpacker decision builds on a theme with the Turnbull Government - Cabinet bending to the demands of a powerful backbench.

It’s a point Labor is likely to make loudly every time the government tinkers with policy.