Modern Australian
Men's Weekly

.

Whopping lead for Labor ahead of WA election, but federal Newspoll deadlocked at 50-50

  • Written by Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne

With less than three weeks left until the March 13 Western Australian election, the latest Newspoll gives Labor a 68-32 lead, two-party-preferred. If replicated on election day, this would be a 12.5% swing to Labor from the 2017 election two party result.

Analyst Kevin Bonham describes the Newspoll result as “scarcely processable” and says it is the most lopsided result in Newspoll history for any state or federally.

Primary votes were 59% for Labor, up from 42.2% at the 2017 election, 23% for the Liberals (down from 31.2% in 2017), 2% National (5.4%), 8% Greens (8.9%) and 3% One Nation (4.9%). This poll was conducted February 12-18 from a sample of 1,034.

Premier Mark McGowan had an 88% satisfied rating with 10% dissatisfied (net +78), while Liberal opposition leader Zak Kirkup was at 29% satisfied, 41% dissatisfied (net -12). McGowan led Kirkup as “better premier” by a crushing 83 to 10.

A pandemic boost?

Other recent polls have been strong, albeit less spectacular for Labor. Bonham refers to a January 30 uComms poll that gave Labor a 61-39 lead, from primary votes of 46.8% Labor, 27.5% Liberal, 5.1% National, 8.3% Greens and 6.9% One Nation.

There is also a pattern here. Since the pandemic began, governments that have managed to keep COVID cases down have been rewarded. This includes Queensland and New Zealand Labo(u)r governments at their respective October elections last year.

WA Liberal leader Zak Kirkup. Zak Kirkup was only elected as WA’s Liberal leader last November. Richard Wainwright/AAP

McGowan’s imposition of a hard WA border to restrict COVID has boosted both his and Labor’s popularity. There have been relatively few WA COVID cases, and life has been comparably normal with the exception of a five-day lockdown in early February.

Upper house a different story

But it’s not all good news for McGowan. While Labor will easily win a majority in the lower house, it will be much harder for the ALP and the Greens to win an upper house majority. The upper house suffers from both a high degree of rural malapportionment (where there are relatively fewer voters per member) and group ticket voting.

Group ticket voting, in which parties direct the preferences of their voters, was abolished in the federal Senate before the 2016 election, but continues to blight elections in both Victoria and WA.

Read more: Victorian upper house greatly distorted by group voting tickets; federal Labor still dominant in Newspoll

There are six WA upper house regions that each return six members, so a quota is one-seventh of the vote, or 14.3%. While Perth has 79% of the overall WA population, it receives just half of upper house seats.

There is also malapportionment in non-metropolian regions. According to the ABC’s election guide, the south west region has 14% of enrolled voters, the heavily anti-Labor agricultural region has just 6% of voters and the mining and pastoral region 4%. All regions return six members.

Despite the convincing lower house win in 2017, Labor and the Greens combined won 18 of the 36 upper house seats, one short of a majority. Bonham notes if the Newspoll swings were replicated uniformly in the upper house, Labor would win 19 of the 36 seats in its own right on filled quotas without needing preferences.

But group ticket voting and malapportionment could see Labor and the Greens fall short of an upper house majority again if Labor’s win is more like the uComms poll than Newspoll.

Federal Newspoll still tied at 50-50

This week’s federal Newspoll, conducted February 17-20 from a sample of 1,504, had the two party preferred tied at 50-50, the same as three weeks ago. Primary votes were 42% Coalition (steady), 37% Labor (up one), 10% Greens (steady) and 3% One Nation (steady).

Whopping lead for Labor ahead of WA election, but federal Newspoll deadlocked at 50-50 Newspoll continues to have the Coalition and Labor neck and neck. Mick Tsikas/AAP

Of those polled, 64% were satisfied with Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s performance (up one), and 32% were dissatisfied (down one), for a net approval of +32. Labor leader Anthony Albanese dropped five points on net approval to -7. Morrison led Albanese by 61-26 as better prime minister (compared to 57-29 three weeks ago).

During the last week, there has been much media attention on the rape allegations made by former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins against an unnamed colleague.

Read more: Brittany Higgins will lay complaint over alleged rape – and wants a role in framing workplace inquiry

However, it appears the general electorate perceives this issue as being unimportant compared to the COVID crisis. Albanese’s ratings may have suffered owing to the perception that Labor has focussed too much and being too negative on an “unimportant” issue.

Despite Morrison’s continued strong approval ratings and the slump for Albanese, the most important measure — voting intentions — is tied. Since the start of the COVID crisis, there has been a continued discrepancy between voting intentions based off Morrison’s ratings and actual voting intentions.

Newspoll is not alone in showing a close race on voting intentions or strong ratings for Morrison. A Morgan poll, conducted in early to mid February, gave Labor a 50.5-49.5 lead. Last week’s Essential poll gave Morrison a 65-28 approval rating (net +37).

Labor bump in Craig Kelly’s seat

As reported in The Guardian, a uComms robopoll in controversial Liberal MP Craig Kelly’s seat of Hughes has Kelly leading by 55-45. This is about a 5% swing to Labor from the 2019 election result.

Liberal MP for Hughes Craig Kelly. Liberal MP Craig Kelly has recently been banned by Facebook for promoting alternative, medically unproven COVID-19 treatments on social media. Mick Tsikas/AAP

The poll was conducted February 18 from a sample of 683 for the community group Hughes Deserves Better.

While additional questions are often skewed in favour of the position of the group commissioning uComms polls, voting intention questions are always asked first. However, individual seat polls have been unreliable in Australia.

Trump acquitted by US Senate

As I predicted three weeks ago, Donald Trump was comfortably acquitted by the United States’ Senate on February 13 on charges of inciting the January 6 riots.

The vote was 57-43 in favour of conviction, but short of the two-thirds majority required. Seven of the 50 Republican senators joined all 50 Democrats in voting to convict.

Authors: Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne

Read more https://theconversation.com/whopping-lead-for-labor-ahead-of-wa-election-but-federal-newspoll-deadlocked-at-50-50-155735

Powering Shepparton’s Businesses: Expert Commercial Electrical Services You Can Count On

When it comes to running a successful business, having reliable, compliant, and efficient electrical systems is non-negotiable. From small retail ou...

Maximise Efficiency: Cleaner Solar Panels for Optimal Performance

Solar panels are a smart investment in energy efficiency, sustainability, and long-term savings—especially here in Cairns, where the tropical sun ...

7 Common Air Conditioner Issues in Melbourne – And How to Fix Them

Image by freepik Living in Melbourne, we all know how unpredictable the weather can be. One moment it’s cold and windy, the next it’s a scorchin...

Powering Palm QLD with Reliable Electrical Solutions

Image by pvproductions on Freepik When it comes to finding a trustworthy electrician Palm QLD locals can count on, the team at East Coast Sparkies s...

The Smart Way to Grow Online: SEO Management Sydney Businesses Can Rely On

If you’re a Sydney-based business owner, you already know the digital space is crowded. But with the right strategy, you don’t need to shout the...

What Your Car Says About You: The Personality Behind the Vehicle

You can tell a lot about someone by the car they drive—or at least, that’s what people think. True Blue Mobile Mechanics reckon the car says a l...

The Confidence Curve: Why Boudoir Photography Is the Empowerment Trend You Didn’t Know You Needed

Boudoir photography has been quietly taking over social feeds, Pinterest boards, and personal milestones—and for good reason. It’s not just abou...

Understanding Level 2 Electricians: Why Sydney Residents Need Licenced Experts for Complex Electrical Work

When it comes to electrical work around the home or business, not all electricians are created equal. In Sydney, particularly when you're dealing wi...

Retirement Anchored in Model Boat Building for Waterford’s Doug Unsold

WATERFORD — When Doug Unsold sees his ship come in, it’s usually one he’s crafted with his own hands. The 67-year-old retiree from Waterford ...

The Science Behind Alarm Clocks and Your Circadian Rhythm

Waking up on time isn’t just about setting an alarm—it’s about working with your body, not against it. At the heart of every restful night and...

How to Use Plants to Create a Calming Atmosphere in Your Home

In today’s fast-paced world, cultivating a calm, soothing environment at home has never been more important. Whether you live in a busy urban apar...

How Maths Tutoring Can Help Students Master Maths

Mathematics can be a daunting subject for many students, often causing stress and frustration. However, maths tutoring has proven to be an effective...

Refurbished iPads Are Better Than New Ones (Here's Why)

Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik Apple's refurbished iPad program has quietly become one of the best deals in tech. While everyone obsesses over the ...

Your Guide to Finding the Right GP: What Perth City Doctors Offer Today

Choosing a General Practitioner (GP) is one of the most important health decisions you’ll make. Luckily, Perth’s vibrant CBD now hosts a new ge...

Why Every Mining Operation Needs a Robust Safety Management System

Mining is one of the backbones of the Australian economy, particularly in Western Australia. Back in 2019-20, mining contributed 10.4% of Australia...

Australian Classic Literature Enjoys Resurgence

Welcome back to the good old days of storytelling! As the modern world becomes increasingly more demanding, returning to childhood favourites offers...

How to Choose the Right Lawyers in Sydney for Your Situation

When faced with a legal issue, selecting the right legal representation can make all the difference. Whether you're dealing with a personal injury, ...

Building a Governance Model for Headless Content Management at Scale

Image by pch.vector on Freepik There's never been a better time to implement a headless content management system (CMS) to gain the flexibility and ...