Australia’s ruling Labor Party retakes poll lead from right-wing One Nation

Australia's governing Labor Party has reclaimed the lead in national opinion polls, overtaking the ascendant right-wing One Nation party. The shift marks a significant development in the country's political landscape, with Labor achieving its highest support level in 2026 according to the latest Newspoll.

The Newspoll, published in The Australian newspaper, surveyed 1,235 voters last week. It revealed that 33% of respondents support Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Labor government. In contrast, support for One Nation fell to 29%. The traditional conservative Liberal-National coalition experienced no benefit from One Nation's decline, instead dropping to a historic low of 17% support.

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we understand in our government, that the status quo is not working for people, particularly in the economy, but in our societies more broadly.

A separate poll for the Australian Financial Review newspaper indicated a similar trend, with Labor narrowly ahead of One Nation. One Nation has seen a considerable surge in popularity over the past six months, achieving strong results in state elections and securing its first federal Lower House seat earlier in the year. This rise has largely come at the expense of the Liberal-National coalition, which has seen its support plummet despite a change in leadership.

Prime Minister Albanese emerged as the preferred leader for almost half of those surveyed, with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and coalition leader Angus Taylor trailing behind. Government initiatives aimed at improving housing affordability, including recent legislation passed by Parliament, may have contributed to Labor's improved standing. Treasurer Jim Chalmers acknowledged that the "status quo is not working for people" and emphasized the government's commitment to delivering "real change" in response to accelerating societal and economic pressures.

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Change is accelerating in our society and in our economy. These global and generational pressures are intensifying on people, and from our point of view, we’ve chosen to address that to deliver real change rather than to dismiss it or ignore it.