New South Wales Premier Mike Baird looks poised for re-election when voters head to the polls next weekend, with the Coalition government significantly ahead of Labor in a new poll.
According to the Morgan Poll released on Tuesday, the Labor Party trails the government on a two-party-preferred basis, 44.5 to 55.5 per cent, a margin which has grown three per cent since February.
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The Coalition also leads Labor on the primary vote, 46.5 to 33.5 per cent.
The Greens sit on 11.5 per cent, while the Christian Democrats are unchanged at 1.5 per cent.
Roy Morgan chairman Gary Morgan said Mr Baird would likely end the Liberal Party’s losing streak at state elections, with Labor winning government in both Victoria and Queensland in recent months.
Despite a deeply unpopular federal Coalition government, Mr Baird remains Australia’s most popular premier, with a Newspoll last month revealing voters found him considerably more likeable and competent than Labor leader Luke Foley.
Mr Foley has only had three months in the top job and, according to Mr Morgan, is relatively unknown to NSW voters.
“Increasing name recognition for Foley is likely to have helped Foley increase his ratings in recent weeks although he still trails far behind Australia’s most popular premier,” Mr Morgan said.
According to the poll, Mr Foley still trails Mr Baird as preferred premier, 64 to 36 per cent, but has improved his standing by five per cent since February.
Mr Morgan said Mr Baird’s controversial proposal to sell the state’s electricity network to fund $20 billion worth of infrastructure projects had failed to deter voters.
“Despite Baird taking a controversial position in support of the sale of New South Wales electricity assets it appears Baird has done enough over the past year as premier to convince NSW electors to elect him as premier in his own right next week.”
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