Melbourne Buzz: Scott Morrison’s Rating Dive
Turns out the Aussie leader who once floated an Australian embassy to Jerusalem is now facing a rating plunge that’s hit the negative zone for the first time.
What Sparked the Drop?
- By‑election backlash: the Liberals lost their sole majority after Malcolm Turnbull’s former seat swung to an independent.
- “It’s ok to be white” mishap in Parliament—talk about a PR sticky note.
- Wentworth’s big swing to independent Kerryn Phelps, a seat the party had dominated for over a century.
The Numbers Speak
- Newspoll: 58% of voters want Parliament to run its full term (May 2019 election).
- Prime Minister’s net approval rating: –18 (first time dipping negative).
- Bill Shorten, the opposition’s head, sits at –13 – so Morrison still edges him.
- Forecast says the Liberal camp could lose 19 seats if the election dubs.
Politically, the Party’s in the Red Zone
Morrison even skipped the party’s campaign tee‑shirt launch in Victoria; the state election’s slated for Nov 24, and the flying colors are nowhere to be seen.
Wrap‑Up
In plain Aussie speak, the headline is the same: the leaders’ popularity hit a low point after a string of missteps, wiping out that one‑seat cushion. The poll’s curiously hopeful 58% for a full term pinches the “turn the ship around” sentiment – it’s a short‑memory World Cup. Keep an eye on the numbers, mates; politics is still scrambling around the flagpole.
