Scott Morrisons approval rating slips amid criticism of COVID-19 response, latest Newspoll says

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The coalition and Labor are neck and neck in popular support, but Prime Minister Scott Morrisons’ approval rating has plummeted amid new state closures and criticism of the government’s response to the pandemic.

The federal government and the Labor opposition both recorded 39% of voter support in the latest Newspoll, published in The Australian.

Satisfaction with Morrison fell four points to 51% in the new poll, while the number of voters saying they were dissatisfied with the prime minister rose four points to 45%.

The government’s primary vote fell two points while Federal Labor increased by the same amount over the three-week period.

This combined four-point change allowed Labor to now lead the 53-47 coalition on a basis deemed preferred by both parties.

Scott Morrison and his coalition government’s approval ratings slipped in the latest Newspoll. Credit: AAP

Newspoll’s findings come amid criticism of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and new viral disease outbreaks that have triggered lockdowns in NSW and Victoria and interstate border restrictions.

The poll was conducted July 14-17 among 1,506 voters in metropolitan and regional areas.

Satisfaction with the federal government’s handling of vaccine deployment declined further, with 40% of respondents saying they were satisfied and 57% saying the opposite.

This compares with 50 percent saying they were satisfied with the management of the vaccine rollout – and 46 percent otherwise – in the previous Newspoll last month.

Scott Morrison met with state and territory leaders on Friday as 12 million Australians faced lockdown. Credit: AAP

The results contrast with those at the start of the year, when the coalition received significantly better approval for its handling of the coronavirus.

Outbreaks of the Delta COVID-19 variant have triggered tight lockdown restrictions in New South Wales, with millions of residents largely confined to their homes and most retailers forced to shut their doors.

Victoria is currently stranded for five days following outbreaks, with the state premier warning it is too early to say whether restrictions will be extended.

Earlier this month, Morrison announced a four-phase plan to move away from lockdowns and restrictions once enough of the population is vaccinated.

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