Australian Labor Party's support rate below 30%

Australia's ruling Labor Party's primary vote has slipped to 29 percent, the first time below 30 percent this year, according to a survey on Monday. The latest Nielsen poll, published in Fairfax papers, showed that the opposition Coalition's primary vote is up three points at 47 percent. And the option of the two-party preferred showed that Labor is at 43 percent, with the Coalition at 57. According to the poll, the shift in voter sentiment is most noticeable among male voters, where there has been a 7 percent drop in support for Labor. Julia Gillard's position is under renewed pressure as MPs return to Canberra for the final fortnight of parliament before the September 14 election. And support for Gillard as preferred Prime Minister is at its lowest level in a year. The poll said two-party preferred would be locked 50-50 with former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as Labor leader. And analysis from local media said that the Labor government's primary vote would rise to 40 percent if Kevin Rudd took over the leadership from current Prime Minister Julia Gillard, with the Coalition dropping to 42. In addition, the opposition leader Tony Abbott is less popular among voters than previous leader Malcolm Turnbull, who leads Abbott 62 points to 32.