<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>341496</docID> <postdate>2025-03-31 10:18:15</postdate> <headline>‘Bad for your mental health’: MPs downplay polls</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-341497" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250305125410686525-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Polls show Anthony Albanese is well ahead of Peter Dutton as preferred prime minister. (Mick Tsikas, Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Andrew Brown</strong> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>Labor is going into the federal election as the underdog, a senior minister says, despite multiple polls showing a surge in support for the government over the coalition.</strong></p> <p>The latest Newspoll published in The Australian shows Labor ahead 51 per cent to 49 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.</p> <p>Labor leader Anthony Albanese retained and opened up his lead over Opposition Leader Peter Dutton as preferred prime minister, at 49 per cent to 38 per cent.</p> <p>It's the prime minister's biggest lead as preferred prime minister since the May 2022 federal election.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the latest Resolve poll shows the government has clawed back ground to draw level with the coalition at 50-50.</p> <p>The government had been trailing the opposition in the polls since the start of the year but has been making gains in the lead up to the election.</p> <p>But Defence Minister Richard Marles downplayed the shift in support to the government ahead of voters going to the polls on May 3.</p> <p>"We don't follow opinion polls by the day, it is not good for your mental health if you are in politics," he told ABC TV on Monday.</p> <p>"We focus on what our job is, which is to govern the country.</p> <p>"We are not looking at that, this is a close election; everyone knows we are coming from behind."</p> <p>Coalition campaign spokesman James Paterson said the opposition was not concerned about the polls.</p> <p>"The polls show the next election is going to be close. Polls have shown that for the best part of a year," he told ABC TV.</p> <p>"We have a big task ahead of us - no first term government has been removed from office in 100 years.</p> <p>"It shows the Australian people have a significant choice to make over five weeks."</p> <p>The Newspoll survey of more than 1200 voters showed primary support for Labor lifting from 32 per cent to 33 per cent, while the coalition recorded a drop of two percentage points to 37 per cent.</p> <p>The Greens remained at 12 per cent while support for Pauline Hanson's One Nation dropped from seven per cent to six.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the Resolve poll of more than 3000 people showed Mr Albanese ahead of Mr Dutton by 42 per cent to 33 per cent as preferred prime minister.</p> <p>Asked about the polling, Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce said "some people" might find Mr Dutton's "strengths a bit disconcerting".</p> <p>"Peter is a tough leader," he told Seven's Sunrise program.</p> <p>"At times I don't get along with him, at times I do, but I have to say he is a good man and he is a strong man and he is the right guy to be prime minister of Australia."</p> <p>Senior Labor MP Tanya Plibersek said the poll results are close, and the party is taking nothing for granted.</p> <p>"Our whole focus is trying to make life a little easier for people," she told Seven.</p> <p>The Newspoll is the third major survey to show the government gaining ground after the Resolve and YouGov polls reported support swinging Labor's way.</p> <p>The latest YouGov modelling shows Labor on track to win 75 seats and the coalition 60.</p> <p>Parties need to get 76 seats for a majority.</p> <p>Marginal seats in Queensland, NSW and Western Australia, in past elections, have had a lot of sway over who ends up in the Lodge in Canberra.</p> <p>But in this election, political experts see Victoria, particularly Melbourne seats, as a key battleground.</p> <p>The YouGov modelling, released on Sunday, projects that Labor could lose five seats to the opposition but win two seats back from the Greens and one from the coalition.</p> <p>It showed the coalition could lose three seats, and all teal independent MPs could retain their seats.</p> </body>