Galaxy marginal seats poll
A Galaxy poll conducted for the Nine Network has delivered a blow to Labor, suggesting it could lose key marginal seats in Queensland and New South Wales.
Conducted in the seats of Bonner and Bowman in Queensland and Macarthur and Eden-Monaro in New South Wales over the past two days, the poll puts Labor's primary vote at 39 per cent compared to the Coalition's 44 per cent.
On a two-party preferred basis, that gives the Coalition a 51 per cent to 49 per cent lead, Nine's political correspondent, Laurie Oakes, reported tonight. Oakes says that swing would cost Labor up to 12 seats in Queensland and NSW. The Coalition needs to seize 17 seats nationwide to take power.
Although respondents rated Julia Gillard as a more impressive leader than Tony Abbott during the election campaign, 35 per cent of voters in the Queensland marginals said they would have been more likely to vote Labor under Kevin Rudd. Only 11 per cent said they would have been less likely to vote Labor with Mr Rudd as leader.