Campbell Newman surges in popularity despite Kevin Rudd attacks

protestors
Union protesters with effigies of Campbell Newman and Tony Abbott were on Bowen Bridge Road in Brisbane at the weekend. However, federal Labor's attempts to link the Queensland State Government with a possible Abbott-led administration, have backfired. Source: News Limited

KEVIN Rudd's attacks on the Newman Government appear to have backfired, with Campbell Newman's administration surging in popularity.

A new Galaxy poll, conducted exclusively for The Courier-Mail, has revealed a jump in primary support for the LNP while the Premier's personal appeal remains unchanged.

Comment: Federal Labor can't count on Newman backlash

Federal Labor has targeted the Newman Government over cuts to programs and the public service in an effort to warn Queenslanders about the implications of a Tony Abbott-led administration in Canberra.

The ACTU yesterday launched their new ad campaign linking the two LNP leaders, with a giant-headed Campbell Newman and Tony Abbott on show at a union display in Bowen Hills.

"The rest of the country knows exactly what's happening in Queensland," ACTU president Ged Kearney said.

"For our campaign, we're very keen to let the rest of the country know what an overzealous Liberal leader is likely to inflict upon the community."

But the unions say they are not afraid of the ad series being viewed as a scare campaign.

"Abbott's nice and soft and cuddly at the moment, but he's got the same agenda as Newman," Queensland Council of Unions president John Battams said.

However Labor's condemnation has only served to reignite Queensland's support for the LNP, reversing the gradual decline the Government has experienced since the March 2012 election.

The Government's increased support is even more significant, given it came amid the Peter Dowling sexting scandal which earned the MP international infamy.

As well as taking his secret mistress on parliamentary travel trips, it was revealed Mr Dowling sent a picture of his penis plonked in a glass of red wine.

"The federal issues have not affected support for Campbell Newman or the LNP,'' Galaxy's David Briggs said.

"It's probably a little hard for federal Labor to make mud stick on the state LNP when optimism in the state is quite high and the LNP are streets ahead of Labor in the polls."

According to the Galaxy poll conducted last week, the LNP's primary support has jumped from 44 per cent to 47 per cent in the last three months.

The result leaves the party less than 3 per cent from the stratospheric high it achieve at the election.

Labor also increased its support to 34 per cent.

Both major parties appear to have benefited from the decline of Katter's Australian Party, which has been racked by infighting.

On a two-party-preferred basis, the LNP leads 57 per cent to Labor's 43 per cent, unchanged since the last Galaxy poll in May.

Advertising featuring Mr Rudd has specifically targeted the Queensland Premier, warning that Mr Abbott would undertake a similar campaign of austerity.

However, this has had no impact on Mr Newman's personal support although the Premier remains a net negative, meaning the number of people satisfied with his performance is outnumbered by the number of people dissatisfied.

At the same time, Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk is still struggling to get people to take a position on her personally, with almost one in three uncommitted.

Mr Newman still dominates as preferred premier, 54 per cent to Ms Palaszczuk's 31 per cent.

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