CANBERRA (CU)_Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently called a federal election for 21 May after talks with the Governor General in Canberra. Having assumed office in August 2018, PM Morrison has become the first leader to serve a full term in office in 15 years. Since former Prime Minister John Howard lost to labour’s Kevin Rudd in 2007, what has been described as the “coup culture” of Australian politics has triggered to a series of short-lived premierships. As PM Morrison’s first term comes to an end this year, many expected a change of government next month, until a shocking new poll suggested otherwise.
Just hours after PM Morrison called for elections next month, the coalition got a major boost in the polls, giving the Prime Minister hope of another come from behind victory. In the latest poll for The Australian, the Liberal leader not only surged ahead as preferred prime minister over opposition leader Anthony Albanese, but also managed to stretch his lead as preferred PM to the highest point in two months. PM Morrison rose one point to 44 per cent, while Albanese fell three points in the category to 39 per cent. In the case of political party preference, Labour’s primary vote dropped to 37 per cent, from 41 per cent just three weeks ago. 37 per cent is also the same number the party had ahead of the 2019 election campaign, following which the Coalition won, contrary to all published polls at the time.
Support for minor parties and independent candidates jumped to 27 per cent, with the United Australia Party, formed by mining magnate Clive Palmer, rising to 4 per cent. This was following wall to wall political advertising by the party, as Palmer seems set to outspend both the government and the labour opposition this time, just as he did in the 2019 election. The Greens remain steady on 10 per cent, and One Nation on 3 per cent, while another 10 per cent is held by ‘others’, which mostly make up of independent candidates.
