Major parties claw back some support from minors: new poll
The Turnbull government and Labor party have won back supporters from the minor parties, according to the latest Newspoll.
Labor has maintained its lead over the coalition, at 53 to 47 percentage points on a two-party preferred basis, the poll published by The Australian on Monday showed.
But the good news for the government is that it has regained support from Pauline Hanson's One Nation party, which saw support fall to nine points from an earlier 11.
Likewise, Labor benefited from a fall in the Australian Greens primary vote from 10 to nine percentage points.
On the primary vote basis, the coalition rose one point to 36 per cent, while Labor also went up a point to 37 per cent.
The Greens had a horror month, with NSW senator Lee Rhiannon suspended from the party room and two senators - deputy leaders Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters - forced to quit because of their dual citizenship.
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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has had a personal boost this Newspoll, regaining his double-digit lead over Labor's Bill Shorten.
His rating as preferred prime minister is up to 43 per cent, while Mr Shorten is on 32 per cent.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull went up in the preferred prime minister ratings, extending his lead over Bill Shorten. Source: AAP
The poll comes in the wake of the prime minister's big announcement on national security with the creation of a home affairs department headed by key conservative Liberal Peter Dutton.
Meanwhile Bill Shorten made a big pitch to younger voters – traditionally aligned with The Greens – about the increasing margins of inequality.
It comes on the back of popular success among youth voters in the US and UK, drummed up by Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn respectively.
Labor has also put its long-standing policy of fixed four-year terms for the federal parliament back on the agenda.
Peter Dutton has been placed in charge of the new national security super ministry.
The prime minister has spoken with Mr Shorten about the proposal and Mr Turnbull’s office confirmed he has agreed to discuss the matter further.
The proposal that would bring federal elections and terms in line with most states has been around for some time and would require a change to the constitution.
Its champions say the policy is a good thing for Australian democracy because the current three-year term is not long enough to introduce meaningful reforms and long-term policy.
