Newspoll

Newspoll

Headquarters	Australia
Services	research
Website	www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/newspoll

Newspollis an Australian opinion polling brand, published byThe Australianand administered by Australian polling firm Pyxis Polling & Insights. Pyxis is founded by the team led by Dr Campbell White, who redesigned Newspoll's methodology as former APAC Head of Polling at YouGov from 2019-2023.

Newspoll has a long tradition of predicting Australian Federal Election results, both federal and state.

Until May 2015, Newspoll was a market research and polling company, part owned byNews Corp Australia.In May 2015 administration of Newspoll was transferred toGalaxy Research.In December 2017, Galaxy Research was acquired by YouGov.In August 2023, the contract to administer Newspoll was granted to Pyxis Polling & Insights.

Newspoll's surveys of voting intention are published exclusively inThe Australian.The poll is widely cited in other Australian and global media.

Background and history

Newspoll was established in 1985 as a joint venture betweenNews Limitedand Yann Campbell Hoare Wheeler, which later was purchased by Millward Brown during the 1990s. In 2015 this company was wound up with The Australian announcing that henceforth Newspoll would become a polling brand administered by Galaxy. The transfer of operation to Galaxy came with a significant change in polling methods, from live telephone interviews to a mix of online and automated telephone interviews.However, the wording of Newspoll questions remained the same.In the first major test of this methodology, Newspoll conducted byGalaxy Researchwas the most accurate national published poll at the 2016 Australian Federal Election.

A further change occurred in November 2019, with YouGov switching to entirely online polling.Since this change, Newspoll has been consistently accurate, being ranked as the top pollster at six out of seven elections since 2020 by respected Australian Psephologist Dr Kevin Bonham, including having the final 2PP within 1% of the actual results in the Federal, South Australian, Victorian and NSW state elections as well as - the first election conducted under Pyxis - the referendum on theVoice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

Prime minister polling

Two party preferredpolling between the2004 electionand2007 electionby Newspoll1993–2007Archived3 March 2016 at theWayback Machine(as published inThe Australiannewspaper),ACNielsen1996–2007Archived27 June 2006 at theWayback Machine(as published inFairfaxnewspapers),Roy Morgan1996–2007andGalaxy2004–2007.

Preferred prime minister polling between the2004 electionand2007 electionby Newspoll1987–2007Archived3 March 2016 at theWayback Machine(as published inThe Australiannewspaper) andACNielsen1996–2007Archived27 June 2006 at theWayback Machine(as published inFairfaxnewspapers).

The lists below show the prime ministers with the highest and lowest career ratings. In many cases the highest and second-highest (etc.) or lowest and second-lowest (etc.) ratings are held by the same prime minister.

Highest approval rating

Kevin Ruddhas the highest career-peak approval rating, with 71% (18–20 April 2008).
Scott Morrisonhas the second-highest career-peak approval rating, with 68% (22–25 April 2020 and 24–27 June 2020)
John Howardhas the third-highest career-peak approval rating, with 67% (10–12 May 1996).
Bob Hawke'shighest approval rating was 62% (24–26 Jan 1986), but Newspoll did not poll until over two years after he became prime minister.

Highest dissatisfied rating

Paul Keating has the highest recorded "dissatisfied" rating, with 75% (3–5 September 1993).
Tony Abbott has the second-highest career-peak "dissatisfied" rating, with 68% (6–8 February 2015 and 20–22 February 2015).
Julia Gillard has the equal second-highest career-peak "dissatisfied" rating, with 68% (2–4 September 2011).

Highest "Better Prime Minister" score

Until mid-1991, "Better Prime Minister" ratings were only surveyed during election campaigns.

Kevin Rudd has the highest "Better Prime Minister" score, with 73% (28 Feb-2 Mar 2008 and 4–6 April 2008).
John Howard has the second-highest career-peak "Better Prime Minister" score, with 67% (20–22 June 2003).
Bob Hawke has the third-highest career-peak "Better Prime Minister" score, with 62% (5–7 June 1987 and 16–21 June 1987).

Lowest "Better Prime Minister" score

Paul Keating has the lowest "Better Prime Minister" score, with 27% (20–22 August 1993).
Tony Abbott has the second-lowest career-low "Better Prime Minister" score, with 30% (6–8 February 2015).
John Howard has the third-lowest career-low "Better Prime Minister" score, with 31% (24–6 July 1998).

Opposition Leader polling

Note:The lists below show the Opposition Leaders with the highest and lowest career ratings. In many cases the highest and second-highest (etc.) or lowest and second-lowest (etc.) ratings are held by the same Opposition Leader. For instance, 14% is not the second-lowest "Better Prime Minister" score ever recorded, sinceBrendan Nelsonrecorded ten scores of below 14%.

Highest approval rating

Kevin Rudd has had the highest recorded approval rating, of 68% (16–18 February 2007 and 11–13 May 2007).
Mark Lathamhas the second-highest career-peak approval rating, of 66% (19–21 March 2004).
John Hewsonhas the third-highest career-peak approval rating, of 55% (17–19 January 1992).

Lowest approval rating

Alexander Downerrecorded the lowest approval rating, of 20% (2–4 December 1994 and 16–18 December 1994).
Three leaders have recorded career-low approval ratings of 22%. They areAndrew Peacock(19–21 May 1989), John Hewson (11–13 March 1994) andSimon Crean(28–30 November 2003).

Highest dissatisfaction rating

Alexander Downer recorded the highest dissatisfaction rating, of 69% (2–4 December 1994).
Andrew Peacock recorded the second-highest career-high dissatisfaction rating, of 67% (16–18 March 1990).
John Hewson recorded the third-highest career-high dissatisfaction rating, of 64% (11–13 March 1994).

Highest "Better Prime Minister" score

Kevin Rudd holds the record with 50% (19–21 October 2007).
Alexander Downer recorded the second-highest career-peak score, of 48% (8–10 July 1994).
Bill Shortenrecorded the equal second-highest career-peak score, of 48% (6–8 February 2015).

Lowest "Better Prime Minister" score

Brendan Nelsonholds the record, with 7% (29 February-2 March 2008).
Simon Crean(28–30 November 2003),Malcolm Turnbull(27–29 November 2009) andBill Shorten(4–6 December 2015) recorded the equal-second lowest career low, with 14%. See note at top of this section.

See also

• Essential Media Communications
• Opinion polling for the 2022 Australian federal election
• Roy Morgan Research
• YouGov

External links

• Newspoll Market Research homepageArchived26 April 2007 at theWayback Machine
• Newspoll archive since 1987Archived3 March 2016 at theWayback Machine
• Galaxy Research polling page including recent Newspoll results