There's a noticeable spring in the step of coalition MPs as they arrive at Parliament House, buoyed by a lift in the latest Newspoll.
"We're obviously heartened by the polls," cabinet minister Ian Macfarlane told ABC radio on Tuesday.
The coalition has wound back Labor's big lead to trail 49-51 per cent while there's been a three point improvement in Prime Minister Tony Abbott's standing with voters.
Cabinet minister Malcolm Turnbull believes the poll shows voters are now focusing on Labor and the "penny is dropping".
"Labor cannot keep on sitting on the sidelines, throwing stones at the government," he told ABC radio.
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek said it was extraordinary to see Liberals celebrating that "they're only trailing by a bit".
Her frontbench colleague Mark Butler insisted Labor was still on the right track, despite losing its big lead over the government.
"I'm very confident that Bill Shorten and his team have got things right," he told reporters in Canberra.
But cabinet minister Barnaby Joyce said it was clear Australians were starting to ask serious questions about Labor.
"It's no good saying you want to be the alternate government, and then not actually come up with any policies," he said.
Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm is not sure the poll result suggests Tony Abbott is winning back voters.
"I rather think Bill Shorten is losing votes," he told reporters, adding that Labor should have installed Anthony Albanese as leader.
"You should have picked Albo instead of Shorten," he said.
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