Albanese vows to cut Australian migration after rise fuels support for populist One Nation

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday migration levels were reducing, responding to an opinion poll showing a right-wing populist party ahead of governing Labor.

Support for One Nation party was 31 per cent, ahead of Labor on 30 per cent, a Newspoll published in The Australian newspaper on Monday showed.

Albanese’s net approval rating has sunk to its lowest level since the 2022 election at minus 24, with 36 per cent of Australians satisfied with his performance, 60 per cent dissatisfied and 4 per cent uncommitted, according to the Newspoll.

The poll of 1,240 people is the second major survey to show anti-migration One Nation in a leading position.

It echoes a Redbridge Group/Accent Research survey in the Australian Financial Review last week that showed Pauline Hanson’s party climbed above Labor in a nationwide opinion poll for the first time.

The surge comes amid growing voter frustration over cost-of-living pressures, higher interest rates and a budget that many Australians say has done little to ease household strain.