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Australian gov't approval rating continues to fall: public survey

Xinhua, January 16, 2017 Adjust font size:

The Australian government has fallen to a new low in the eyes of the public, the results of a poll showed Monday, with Malcolm Turnbull's Liberal-National coalition trailing the Labor opposition 46 percent to 54 percent after preferences.

Following a horror week for the government, in which Health Minister Sussan Ley was dismissed for abusing taxpayer-funded travel, the ReachTel poll of more than 2,100 Australians found record disenchantment with the Turnbull-led government since he came to power in September 2015.

The poll was commissioned by political campaign group GetUp, and the group's director Mark Connelly said it was "no surprise" the poll results were poor for the government considering the tumultuous start to 2017, in which ministers were caught abusing entitlements "while sending tens of thousands of false debt-threat letters to everyday Australians."

Last week it was revealed Australia's welfare body was sending incorrect and threatening debt recovery letters, with as many as 20 percent thought to be errors.

"Treating Australians like crap is going to get you crap poll results," Connelly said on Monday. Endit