The latest poll shows that male voters are deserting Prime Minister Julia Gillard in droves while there is little sign of more women coming on board.
The Fairfax Media/Neilsen poll released on Monday shows Labor's support continues to slide, led entirely by a seven per cent exit of men.
Under the two-party preferred vote, the Coalition romps home 57 per cent (up three points) to 43 per cent (down three points).
Labor's primary vote, which had been in the low 30s, has gone from bad to worse to 29 per cent with the Coalition at 47 per cent - a whopping 18 point lead which would wipe out 35 Labor MPs.
The poll suggests that Ms Gillard's lament that the abortion issue would be a plaything of male politicians under a Coalition government, did not resonate with men.
Ms Gillard's standing as the preferred prime minister also headed south giving her her lowest approval rating in a year - down five points to 41 per cent compared to Opposition leader Tony Abbott's 50 per cent, which is up four points.
When asked who would they vote for if Kevin Rudd was prime minister, suddenly Labor is almost 50-50 chance against the Coalition.
But as pollster John Stirton points out, many of those responding could be rusted-on Liberal voters wanting to cause some ruckus in Labor ranks.
He said said the swing against Labor occurred only among men with Labor's primary vote down seven points among male voters and up only one point among women.
However, if Mr Rudd were running things, the poll shows a major swing back for Labor at 40 per cent with the Coalition at 42 per cent.
Mr Rudd beats Ms Gillard as preferred Labor leader by 58 per cent to 32.
In the Liberal ranks, former leader Malcolm Turnbull is also more popular than Mr Abbott - at 62 to 32 per cent.
NO ACTION ON LEADERSHIP: EMERSON
Cabinet minister Craig Emerson has acknowledged there is internal chatter about the Labor leadership.
"I'm hearing talk and no action, and that's as it should be," he told ABC radio on Monday.
Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury, who holds the marginal western Sydney seat of Lindsay, says there is no point sugar-coating the challenge facing Labor.
But he dismissed polls showing Labor had a 50-50 chance of winning the election if Ms Gillard was replaced by Kevin Rudd.
"To some extent there's a bit of grass is greener on the other side effect," he told ABC radio.
Mr Bradbury said there had been an effort to diminish the "great achievements" of the Gillard government.
"People seem so intent to focus and to obsess on and crucify her and us for every mistake."
Retiring Labor backbencher Steve Gibbons says he will never support Mr Rudd's return.
"He knows that, I've said that to his face," he told ABC radio.
The MP doubted claims by Rudd supporters that there was a growing mood for a leadership change.
"They've being saying that for 12 months and it hasn't happened and I don't think it will happen this time."
Labor backbencher Andrew Leigh says Ms Gillard will still be leader at the end of this sitting fortnight.
"The party is going to go to the next election with Julia Gillard as leader," he told reporters in Canberra.
But he admits Labor will be the underdog in September: "You can see that in the polls or you can see that from looking at the arrogance Tony Abbott now has."
Fellow backbencher Deb O'Neill says she supports Ms Gillard but the Labor caucus will ultimately decide on the party leadership "if an opportunity arises".
She dismissed a story that Ms Gillard is warning supporters her education funding reforms will be doomed if Mr Rudd returns to the leadership.
"That is not a conversation that I have had with anyone."
The Fairfax Media/Neilsen poll released on Monday shows Labor's support continues to slide, led entirely by a seven per cent exit of men.
Under the two-party preferred vote, the Coalition romps home 57 per cent (up three points) to 43 per cent (down three points).
Labor's primary vote, which had been in the low 30s, has gone from bad to worse to 29 per cent with the Coalition at 47 per cent - a whopping 18 point lead which would wipe out 35 Labor MPs.
The poll suggests that Ms Gillard's lament that the abortion issue would be a plaything of male politicians under a Coalition government, did not resonate with men.
Ms Gillard's standing as the preferred prime minister also headed south giving her her lowest approval rating in a year - down five points to 41 per cent compared to Opposition leader Tony Abbott's 50 per cent, which is up four points.
When asked who would they vote for if Kevin Rudd was prime minister, suddenly Labor is almost 50-50 chance against the Coalition.
But as pollster John Stirton points out, many of those responding could be rusted-on Liberal voters wanting to cause some ruckus in Labor ranks.
He said said the swing against Labor occurred only among men with Labor's primary vote down seven points among male voters and up only one point among women.
However, if Mr Rudd were running things, the poll shows a major swing back for Labor at 40 per cent with the Coalition at 42 per cent.
Mr Rudd beats Ms Gillard as preferred Labor leader by 58 per cent to 32.
In the Liberal ranks, former leader Malcolm Turnbull is also more popular than Mr Abbott - at 62 to 32 per cent.
NO ACTION ON LEADERSHIP: EMERSON
Cabinet minister Craig Emerson has acknowledged there is internal chatter about the Labor leadership.
"I'm hearing talk and no action, and that's as it should be," he told ABC radio on Monday.
Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury, who holds the marginal western Sydney seat of Lindsay, says there is no point sugar-coating the challenge facing Labor.
But he dismissed polls showing Labor had a 50-50 chance of winning the election if Ms Gillard was replaced by Kevin Rudd.
"To some extent there's a bit of grass is greener on the other side effect," he told ABC radio.
Mr Bradbury said there had been an effort to diminish the "great achievements" of the Gillard government.
"People seem so intent to focus and to obsess on and crucify her and us for every mistake."
Retiring Labor backbencher Steve Gibbons says he will never support Mr Rudd's return.
"He knows that, I've said that to his face," he told ABC radio.
The MP doubted claims by Rudd supporters that there was a growing mood for a leadership change.
"They've being saying that for 12 months and it hasn't happened and I don't think it will happen this time."
Labor backbencher Andrew Leigh says Ms Gillard will still be leader at the end of this sitting fortnight.
"The party is going to go to the next election with Julia Gillard as leader," he told reporters in Canberra.
But he admits Labor will be the underdog in September: "You can see that in the polls or you can see that from looking at the arrogance Tony Abbott now has."
Fellow backbencher Deb O'Neill says she supports Ms Gillard but the Labor caucus will ultimately decide on the party leadership "if an opportunity arises".
She dismissed a story that Ms Gillard is warning supporters her education funding reforms will be doomed if Mr Rudd returns to the leadership.
"That is not a conversation that I have had with anyone."
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