Vic: Bracks would coast home: poll

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2005
Vic: Bracks would coast home: poll

MELBOURNE, Aug 2 AAP - Victoria's Labor government has maintained a 12 point lead over
the Liberal opposition, according to a new opinion poll.

The Morgan Poll out today showed that on a two-party preferred basis, Labor would win
an election with 56 per cent of the vote.

Primary support for the government rose by two per cent to 45.5 per cent, while the
Liberal Party gained one percentage point to 37 per cent.

The Greens lost three percentage points to 6.5 per cent, while the Nationals were unchanged
on 2.5 per cent.

Labor has steadily polled above 56 per cent after preferences since February, peaking
at 58 per cent that month.

The July face-to-face poll of 924 people was conducted as the government confirmed
a controversial trial dredge of Port Phillip Bay would go ahead and the government came
under heat over delays and redesigns of the Spencer Street Station redevelopment.

Gary Morgan, executive chairman of Morgan Poll, said Labor would have easily won a
state election if it had been held in July.

He said while many Victorian voters were now critical of both Premier Steve Bracks
and opposition leader Robert Doyle, "the recent publicity surrounding the federal government's
proposed changes to industrial relations has polarised the electorate."

This had resulted in an increase in primary support for both the ALP and the Liberal-National
Party coalition, he said.

AAP mp/dk/jt/de

KEYWORD: POLL VIC

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