If an election were held today, the government would be thrown out with its primary vote down to 26 per cent - one percentage point lower than last month and the lowest for a major party in the poll's 39-year history.
Labor's two-party-preferred vote has fallen a further two points to 39 per cent, leaving it trailing the coalition by 22 points.
For the first time, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is ahead of Ms Gillard as preferred prime minister, with an 11-point lead at 51 per cent (up five points) to 40 per cent (down 6 points).
Julia Gillard's approval rating as prime minister has dropped another three points to 34 per cent, and her disapproval rating has risen three to 62 per cent.
The same proportion - 56 per cent of the 1400 respondents - opposed a carbon price, said Ms Gillard had no mandate for her plan, and want an election before the plan is introduced.
The coalition's primary vote is up two points to 51 per cent, while the Greens' is down one point to 11 per cent.
Mr Abbott's approval rating as Opposition Leader edged up one point to 47 per cent while his disapproval rating went down two points to 48 per cent.
It is Ms Gillard's worst approval rating so far and the lowest for a prime minister since Paul Keating's 34 per cent in March 1995.
The poll was taken between Thursday and Saturday last week.
