The Labor government has lost some of its working class support to the Liberals, a new poll has shown.
The data from communications research group Redbridge showed that among those with a TAFE, trade or vocational education qualification, support for Labor has fallen to 30 per cent, while support for the Liberal Party is up to 39 per cent.
This shows a 6 per cent decrease in previous results for Labor, with a 10 per cent increase for the Coalition.
Regardless of their education level, Aussies under stress from the cost of living were also less likely to say the government was prioritising the right things.
Tony Barry, director of corporate affairs and communications for Redbridge and a former Liberal Party strategist, said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese would need to take “strong remedial action” to change these results.
“The Albanese government’s capacity for navel gazing on issues that aren’t personally relevant to most voters is starting to become a big political problem,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
“This is a government that is ageing prematurely because of the Prime Minister’s lack of focus on the things that matter, and chronically poor political judgement,” he told news.com.au.
For Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, the results weren’t a shock.
“I am not surprised that tradies and people who work incredibly hard in regional cities like Albury where I live, or in the western suburbs of Sydney, or indeed in the teal seats, are a bit annoyed with this government,” she told Sky News.
She added that the aspiration of “risking it all” for a business and a real hard day’s work was “so far from what this modern Labor Party represents”.
The Liberal Party still remains behind Labor in the two-party preferred poll, at 47.2 per cent compared to Labor’s 52.8 per cent.
A majority of voters also do not believe the Coalition is ready for government, with only 33 per cent agreeing and 47 per cent disagreeing.
The poll also showed other areas of concern for voters, including mixed opinions on immigration and a high degree of worry over housing affordability.
Unsurprisingly, the cost of living crisis was the top issue for many Australians: 48 per cent of them ranked it as their top issue, and 83 per cent placed it as one of the top three.
Opinions on inflation are especially pessimistic. Only 9 per cent believe they will see a return to 2-3 per cent inflation within the next year – the largest cohort, 28 per cent, don’t think it will happen for three years or more.