Malcolm Turnbull loses his 30th consecutive Newspoll
<p>Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has officially lost his 30th consecutive Newspoll, after citing that watermark as one of the reasons for ousting his predecessor, Tony Abbott.</p>
<p>Bill Shorten’s Labor Opposition kept its nose in front of the Government with a two-party preferred vote of 52-48, a slight shift from last month’s reading of 53-47.</p>
<p>With a federal election understood to be 12 months away, the numbers published in Monday’s <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The Australian</strong></em></span></a> should be a cause for concern for the coalition.</p>
<p>Mr Turnbull cited the 30 consecutive Newspoll losses as one of the reasons for launching his leadership challenge to former PM Tony Abbott, but this throwaway line has quickly come back to haunt the Prime Minister.</p>
<p>Mr Turnbull has received support from leadership contenders in recent times including Treasurer Scott Morrison, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, and former prime minister John Howard.</p>
<p>Even Mr Abbott quashed the prospect of a leadership challenge yesterday, saying the last thing he wanted to see was, “instability in government”.</p>
<p>“The important thing is for us to be the best possible government,” Mr Abbott told reporters in Melbourne. “That’s what I want, that’s what the Australian people want.”</p>
<p>Mr Morrison also downplayed the significance of the result.</p>
<p>“I think all members of the government want to see the government performing well and to be returned at the next election,” he told reporters in his NSW electorate of Cook.</p>
<p>“The alternative is Bill Shorten, which means higher taxes, a weaker economy and Australians paying more for everything.”</p>
<p>Mr Morrison also downplayed the significance of the result.</p>
<p>“I think all members of the government want to see the government performing well and to be returned at the next election,” he told reporters in his NSW electorate of Cook.</p>
<p>“The alternative is Bill Shorten, which means higher taxes, a weaker economy and Australians paying more for everything.”</p>
<p>Opposition Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek doesn’t agree, saying the result is being driven by the policies Mr Turnbull is pursuing.</p>
<p>“These are the issues that concern people, Newspoll is just a symptom of that,” Ms Plibersek told Sky News.</p>
<p>What are your thoughts?</p>
