As Coalition gains young support in WA, Labour support drops, Matt Thistlethwaite defends emergency deportation.

As young Western Australians support the Coalition, Labour is losing support. A Monday Australian newspaper Newspoll shows the Coalition gaining support in key areas but Labour still leading 52-48 on a two-party-preferred basis nationally. This is unchanged from Q4 2023. The Coalition rose five points to 27% among 18-34-year-olds, while Labour fell five points to 33%. According to the analysis, the Coalition leads the Greens in primary votes.

Nothing is free like a free press. Give now to help sustain independent journalism in your community.

It's evident from recent events that there has never been a better moment to support local news. Donate now to help sustain independent reporting.

Young men favour Labour and the Coalition equally, swinging three points against the government on two-party-preferred terms. The parties are 50-50 among the demographic, but Labor's primary vote fell six points to 31%. Labour led 53-47 on a two-party-preferred basis for women. Labour has gained ground among 35-49-year-olds by emphasising cost-of-living relief and tax cuts for “middle Australia”. The new analysis shows Labour trailing the Coalition in WA on a two-party preferred basis.

In NSW, the Opposition gained one point as well, and the two-party difference shrank to 50-50. Labor's lead in South Australia had also shrunk to 46-54, a drop of one point. The only state with a one-point increase to 53-47 in favour of the government was Queensland.

Meanwhile, Over the immigration laws, Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes and Assistant Defence Minister Matt Thistlethwaite have argued, with Ms. Hughes calling Mr. Thistlethwaite "so full of it."

According to Assistant Minister Matt Thistlethwaite, some visitors to Australia have been "milking the system," which is why the government needs the emergency deportation powers it was unable to force through the Senate last week. The assistant minister for defence, Thistlethwaite, claimed that "this has been an issue for some time" in an interview with Sky News this morning.

Have a tip or media release?

Contact our editor via Proton Mail encrypted, X Direct Message, LinkedIn, or email. You can securely message him on Signal by using his username, Miko Santos.