Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has retreated from the most contentious element of his government's post-Bondi security legislation, as fresh opinion polls reveal a severe erosion of his personal standing and voter support for Labor.
Polling Disaster Forces Policy Retreat
Facing significant political damage, the PM announced he would scrap plans to criminalise racial vilification. This marks the government's second major policy reversal since the December 14 Bondi attack, which killed 15 people, following an earlier U-turn on a promised royal commission.
The political pressure is underscored by dismal new polling. A Resolve Political Monitor, published on Sunday night, showed Labor's primary vote has plummeted 5 points in a month to just 30 per cent – its lowest level since February 2025. The two-party preferred lead has narrowed to 52-48 per cent from 55-45.
Personally, Mr Albanese has suffered a catastrophic drop. His net performance rating crashed from plus 6 in early December to minus 22. His lead as preferred prime minister over Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has narrowed by 11 points, now standing at 33 per cent to 29 per cent.
A separate Newspoll published on Sunday confirmed the trend, finding the Prime Minister's net approval had fallen to minus 11. Critically, 56 per cent of those surveyed believed his response to the Bondi terror attack was poor.
Surge for Minor Parties as Major Parties Falter
Both polls recorded a startling surge in support for Pauline Hanson's One Nation. The Resolve poll put the minor party at 18 per cent, closely trailing the Coalition on 28 per cent. The Newspoll was even more dramatic, suggesting One Nation had overtaken the Coalition's primary vote, claiming 22 per cent to the Coalition's 21 per cent.
These results highlight a profound dissatisfaction with the traditional major parties. The Newspoll indicated that combined support for Labor and the Coalition is at its lowest in the poll's history, with nearly half (47 per cent) of voters now backing minor parties and independents.
Mr Albanese's policy reversals since December have clearly harmed him, though his troubles began earlier with the parliamentary expenses scandal.
Legislative Fallout and Community Reaction
The Prime Minister was forced to abandon the racial vilification measure after the Greens declared late last week they would not support the full legislation at this week's special parliamentary sitting. The Opposition had also attacked the provision, arguing it limited free speech.
Mr Albanese made clear the measure will be abandoned entirely and not revived later. Key measures still up for negotiation with the Coalition include migration and other hate crime provisions, including powers to ban extremist organisations like Hizb ut-Tahrir. However, as of late Sunday, no deal was done, with Ms Ley describing the bill as "pretty unsalvageable."
The retreat has drawn mixed reactions from community leaders. Peter Wertheim, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, expressed concern that dropping the vilification offence sends a message that "the deliberate promotion of racial hatred is not considered serious enough to be criminalised."
Conversely, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils welcomed the move but voiced apprehension about the remaining proposals. Council president Rateb Jneid warned that "when power to outlaw organisations rests on secret evidence and political discretion, it stops being about the law and becomes ideology and politics."
Parliament will sit on Monday to offer condolences for the Bondi massacre victims, ahead of a national day of mourning on Thursday.
