Anthony Albanese refuses to admit a glaring fact most Aussies already know

Anthony Albanese has dismissed concerns that he is leading the Labor Party to a likely federal election defeat, in the wake of grim polling data suggesting he is losing his grip on ‘middle Australia’.

An analysis of Newspolls taken over the last quarter of 2024, shows 35 to 49-year-old voters, commonly mortgage holders who determine many swinging electorates, are shunning the Albanese government as an election looms next year. 

When grilled about his declining popularity at a press conference on Sunday, the Prime Minister downplayed the issue.

‘What I am worried about is helping fellow Australians. I have been underestimated my whole political life,’ he told reporters on Sunday.

‘I am focused on making a difference for cost of living, making a difference for plans that we have going forward.

‘We have already announced a number of changes, including to address intergenerational equity issues by cancelling 20 per cent of HECS debts for people if we are reelected.’

Mr Albanese also aimed his message squarely at Australian families by talking about what Labor is doing with childcare. 

‘We have announced changes to give a guarantee of childcare provision in an affordable way and we have announced billion-dollar funding for child care infrastructure,’ he said.

Support for Labor among the all-important 5 to 49-year-old voting group slumped to 31 per cent over the October-to-December polling period, down from 35 per cent from the quarter ending in June and 33 per cent from the quarter finishing in September. 

This has cut Labor’s lead in this demographic, which are considered particularly sensitive to cost of living and interest rate pressures, from 53 to 47 per cent six months ago to now being neck-and-neck with the Coalition.  

The Coalition’s primary vote among this age group has risen to 37 per cent.

Peter Dutton’s Opposition now lead in all age groups except for younger voters. 

In this group Labor has been pulling voters from the Greens and has a two party preferred advantage over the Coalition of 63 to 37. 

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (pictured with wife Kirilly) has had good polling news out Victoria

With the Prime Minister’s approval rating falling from 46 per cent in April to just 41 per cent in December some Labor politicians are worried about their jobs. Sydney’s Pitt Street mall is pictured

The largest lead the Coalition enjoys among age groups is 62-38 for those over 65.

NSW and Victoria appear to be the states likely to settle the next election and neither are boding well for Anthony Albanese. 

Victoria has seen a five per cent swing against the Albanese government, with Labor’s primary vote dropping to 30 per cent since the 2022 election.

The Coalition’s primary vote has increased from 36 to 39 per cent over the same period, meaning they have drawn level pegging in that state on a two-party preferred basis.  

Anthony Albanese’s leadership approval rating in Victoria has also slipped from 46 per cent approval in June to 41 per cent now.

Meanwhile his disapproval ratings increased from 48 per cent to 53 per cent over the same period, giving him a net rating of minus 12 in Victoria, which is same as Mr Eutton

The two-party-preferred contest in NSW has leveled at 50-50 with both the parties having seen a lift in their primary vote by two points, the Coalition to 40 per cent and Labor to 32 per cent.

Meanwhile support for the Greens has fallen two points to 10 per cent in the NSW.

Labor has picked up support in WA with its two-party preferred lead increasing to 54-46 compared to 52-48 for the last quarter.

Both the Coalition and Labor have lost primary votes in Queensland with the LNP’s dropping by two points to 41 per cent while Labor fell a point to 29 per cent. 

The Coalition has a two-party-preferred lead off 53-47 in that state, which is slightly weaker than 54-46 it got in the last quarterly survey.