URGENT UPDATE: Discontent among coalition voters is surging as they “go shopping” for alternative parties, warns rogue Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce. The latest Newspoll reveals that support for the coalition remains stagnant at 24%, while the Labor Party has widened its lead to 58-42% in two-party preferred terms.
As of Monday, the coalition’s primary vote shows little change, and despite ongoing media efforts by leader Sussan Ley to promote plans to scrap Australia’s climate targets and focus on reducing power bills, her approval rating has only marginally improved from -33 to -29.
Joyce highlighted the growing frustration among voters, stating, “Out of frustration, they’ve gone shopping. Political shopping,” during a press conference in Canberra. His comments come amid speculation regarding his potential defection to the anti-immigration party One Nation, a move he plans to announce by the end of the week.
Internal party dynamics are tense as Ley’s leadership faces scrutiny. The Newspoll indicates she is the preferred leader for just 21% of voters, with 28% among coalition supporters. Former SAS soldier Andrew Hastie follows with 15% support, particularly among elderly Australians and One Nation voters.
Other potential leaders include Angus Taylor at 9%, Tim Wilson at 6%, and Ted O’Brien at 3%. Concerns are rising that Ley’s underwhelming performance could incite her colleagues to consider a leadership change, although sources indicate such a move is unlikely at this time.
Nationals leader David Littleproud refrained from commenting on Liberal internal politics but acknowledged Ley’s efforts, asserting, “If they were to give gratuitous advice to us, we’d tell them to take a running jump.” He expressed confidence that Ley’s leadership would endure until 2026, despite the coalition’s troubling polling numbers.
Littleproud defended the coalition’s standing, emphasizing, “Obviously, there is more to happen. You don’t win a debate in the first week.” As the political landscape shifts, observers are eager to see how these developments will influence voter sentiment in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story unfolds and the implications for Australia’s political landscape become clearer.
