Guardian Essential poll: Albanese’s approval rating takes a hit but Labor inches ahead of Coalition

Voters scored both PM and Peter Dutton poorly on key leadership questions including trust, competence and being out of touch

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Labor has ticked ahead of the Coalition on a two-party plus basis in the first Guardian Essential poll of the election period, as Anthony Albanese turns the blowtorch on Peter Dutton in the opening days of the campaign.

Essential's 2PP+" measure, which allows voters to remain undecided, put Labor ahead 48% to 47%, with 5% undecided. The survey of 1,100 people was of a piece with recent major polls from Newspoll, Resolve and YouGov, which showed small movements toward Labor in recent weeks.

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