7 Aug 2010

Polls still precarious for Labor

1:04 pm on 7 August 2010

The latest opinion poll in Australia shows the governing Labor Party has gained slight ground on the Coalition.

But the ABC reports that the polls suggest Labor is still poised to lose the election.

The Nielsen poll, published in Fairfax newspapers on Saturday, puts the Opposition in an election-winning position of 51% to 49% after preferences.

Labor's primary vote remains unchanged at 36%, while the Coalition has fallen one point to 44%.

Julia Gillard still holds the advantage in preferred prime minister stakes, remaining steady on 49%, while Tony Abbott also remains steady on 41%.

The ABC reports this is the second consecutive week that the Nielsen poll has seen the Coalition with the upper hand.

Last week's Nielsen poll showed Mr Abbott and the Coalition leading Labor 52 points to 48 on a two-party preferred basis.

Another opinion poll published on Saturday, The Australian newspaper's Newspoll, shows the Coalition ahead in the primary vote in two crucial marginal seats in New South Wales and Queensland, Lindsay and Dawson.

The major parties are evenly split after preferences.