Opposition ahead of Albanese government in the polls

The government is trailing the Coalition on a two-party-preferred basis for a second consecutive month, according to fresh polling data.

The AFR/Freshwater Strategy poll published on Sunday showed the Coalition ahead by 51 per cent to 49 per cent, reinforcing expectations of a Labor minority government after the next election.

Fifty-nine per cent of the 1061 voters surveyed said they were unhappy with where the country was going — a stark contrast to the 28 per cent that were happy.

Among the government’s worst-performing areas were national security, immigration and crime.

While it was also behind the opposition on economic management and cost of living, the government did narrow the gap in those areas by three and five percentage points.

Anthony Albanese remained preferred prime minister over Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

The poll was taken at the end of parliament’s first sitting week after the winter break – a week dominated by political blustering on all sides while legislation sat in a constipated senate.

KEY BILLS FACE SENATE

Anthony Albanese says he is “confident” his government can get its CFMEU and NDIS bills through the senate after a lacklustre first week back after the winter break.

Pressure is mounting on the government to taper the ballooning NDIS, with predictions the scheme could cost $50bn per year by 2025-2026.

It would also tighten eligibility for new applicants.

The Prime Minister told the ABC on Monday that everyone knew “the NDIS needs to be made sustainable”.

“It needs to be put back to the purpose for which it was established by the former Labor government,” he said.

“We are looking to create, not cuts, but a growth of 8 per cent … and these reforms are common sense, making sure that it’s delivering for the people it should.”

The CFMEU Bill is also a big-ticket item for the government as it faces calls from the construction industry to provide certainty.

Coalition and Greens senators knocked back the Bill last week, with the opposition saying it did not go far enough and the Greens saying they needed more time to look over the detail.

The legislation proposes a series of measures to clean up the embattled union, including forcing it to accept a government-appointed administrator for at least three years.

“It’s extraordinary that the Liberals and Greens twice last week blocked this legislation, but I’m confident that we will be able to get it through,” Mr Albanese said.

Both bills will fact the upper house on Monday.

More to come