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Labor unfazed by Turnbull poll lead

The latest polls give the coalition a lead over Labor of just under six points, but the opposition insists it will stick to its strategy and leader.

Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten reacts during House of Representatives Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING
Bill Shorten during Question Time on Thursday, 22 October. Source: AAP

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Source: AAP


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A Labor strategist says there's no prospect of a leader change before the election, despite Malcolm Turnbull's dominance in the polls.

An analysis of the most recent major polls puts the Liberal-National coalition on 52.8 per cent of the two-party vote.

The latest Newspoll published on Tuesday gave Mr Turnbull a 63 per cent preferred prime minister rating, with Bill Shorten slumping to 17 per cent.

It is Mr Shorten's worst result since taking on the Labor leadership after the 2013 election.

Labor strategist Bruce Hawker told AAP Mr Turnbull was still enjoying a poll honeymoon.

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"It's not in prospect at all," he said of a leadership change.

"Given the honeymoon that Malcolm Turnbull has enjoyed, 52-48 isn't the worst possible result."

Mr Hawker puts the result down to Mr Turnbull steering his party to the political centre and appearing to embrace some of Labor's policies and themes.

He says a March 2016 double-dissolution election - about six months before a poll is due - is a distinct possibility.

However, Mr Turnbull will need to keep his own party onside.

"Some of the inherent tensions in his prime ministership are going to have to be resolved," Mr Hawker says.

"There are tensions in his own party over his social reforming agenda and tensions with the public over his fiscal conservatism."

Mr Turnbull on Tuesday declined to comment on the polls, joking that his lift was due to an announcement about a new chief scientist.

Liberal frontbencher Scott Ryan told Sky News he senses the community wants to hear solutions, not bickering.

"They're sick of partisan bickering," he said.

Opposition frontbencher Brendan O'Connor said Labor was focused on delivering policies and keeping the government accountable.

"We'll continue to focus on policies ... and we'll have further announcements to make as we present our case to the Australian people as to why we're a better alternative than the government," he said.

On Tuesday, Labor announced it would fund a redress scheme for victims of institutional abuse.


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