Fuel Crisis Takes Toll on Albanese’s Support

A RedBridge/Accent Research poll showed Albanese’s popularity had dipped by one point to 33 percent amid the fuel crisis.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives at Government House in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 11, 2026. David Gray/AFP via Getty Images

Rising fuel prices and broader cost-of-living pressures are weighing on support for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with new polls pointing to a decline in his approval ratings.

A RedBridge/Accent Research poll conducted between March 23–27 showed Albanese’s popularity had dipped by one point to 33 percent amid the fuel crisis.

His net favourability rating has also declined for a third straight month to minus 17, marking an 18-point drop since December 2025.

Despite this, Labor’s primary vote remained steady at 32 percent.

Separate Newspoll data suggested broader pressure, with Labor’s primary vote falling to 31 percent, down from 36 percent in November 2025.

Albanese’s net approval rating also dropped, with 57 percent dissatisfied with his performance, while 39 percent were satisfied and 4 percent undecided.

However, Anthony Albanese remained the preferred prime minister, with 44 percent backing him compared to 36 percent for Opposition Leader Angus Taylor.

One Nation Surge Reshapes Landscape

At the same time, One Nation continued to consolidate support, emerging as a major force in both polls.

The RedBridge poll placed One Nation at 29 percent of the primary vote, up one percentage point and ahead of the Coalition, which fell to a record low of 17 percent. On a two-party preferred basis, Labor led One Nation 53–47.

The latest Newspoll put One Nation at 26 percent of the primary vote, compared with 21 percent for the Coalition and 12 percent for the Greens.

Earlier polling in January had already signalled this shift, with 38 percent of respondents favouring Pauline Hanson as leader of Australia compared to 34 percent backing Albanese.

“In polling numbers, One Nation is now the Opposition. The numbers say so. The geography says so. The demographics say so,” said Kos Samaras, director at the Redbridge Group.

Coalition Faces Pressure As Voter Sentiment Shifts

The polling also highlights continued pressure on the Coalition, with mixed approval ratings and weakening primary vote support.

The Newspoll indicated that 42 percent of voters were dissatisfied with Taylor’s performance, while 35 percent were satisfied and 23 percent undecided.

Meanwhile, the Coalition has recorded its lowest primary vote in the RedBridge polling series, at 17 percent, down two percentage points from the previous poll.

Samaras said the Coalition’s positioning on the fuel crisis and broader economic pressures was costing it politically.

“That silence is costing them. The realignment is not coming. It is here. The question now is whether the Coalition survives as a meaningful political force or whether it completes its transformation into a third party trailing a movement it helped create,” he said.

Australians Blame Trump for Fuel Crisis

The poll results come as Australia is grappling with fuel price surges following the Iran conflict.

Amid rising economic pressures, RedBridge data showed most voters attributed the current fuel crisis to U.S. President Donald Trump, rather than the federal Labor government.

On foreign policy, the Newspoll illustrated a similar pattern, with 72 percent of voters opposing U.S. military action against Iran, compared with 23 percent approving and 5 percent unsure.