Labor's new backbone revealed as key group of voters rally behind Anthony Albanese - as One Nation gains ground

By NICHOLAS COMINO, POLITICAL REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 07:17, 14 April 2026 | Updated: 07:22, 14 April 2026 Women are the backbone of Labor's current electoral advantage, even as male voters move decisively towards One Nation and away from both major parties. A widening gender divide now sees Labor dominant among female voters while losing ground among men, the latest survey from Roy Morgan has revealed.  On a two-party preferred basis, Labor leads women with 61 per cent support, up 3.5 points over the past week, while the Liberal-National Coalition sits at just 39 per cent. This surge for Labor isn't from its primary vote, which among women remained steady at 32.5 per cent, but from rising support for progressive and minor parties whose preferences strongly benefit Labor.  The Greens now hold 16.5 per cent support among women, up 1.5 points, and One Nation has jumped 2.5 points to 19 per cent.  The Coalition's primary vote among women has plunged by 3.5 points to 21.5 per cent, cementing Labor's commanding lead. Liberal and National support among women continues to weaken, reinforcing Labor's hold on a two-party preferred basis.  Across the overall electorate, Labor's primary support remains at 30 per cent.  Labor leads the Coalition with women by 61 to 39 on a two-party preferred basis (file)  The Coalition continues to slide, down 1.5 points to 22.5 per cent, with the Liberals sitting at 19.5 per cent and Nationals at just 3 per cent. One Nation recorded the largest weekly gain, rising three points to 24.5 per cent.  The Greens' support jumped to 2.5 per cent while Other Parties and Independents fell to 10.5 per cent. On a two-party preferred basis using voters' current intentions, Labor leads the Coalition 56–44, unchanged from last week.  Using last federal election preference distributions, Labor's margin narrows but slightly improves, sitting at 54 per cent to 46 per cent. Among men, the picture is starkly different.  Labor and the Coalition are now tied on a two-party basis at 50 per cent each, reflecting a four-point swing against Labor in one week. Labor's primary vote among men fell by one point to 28 per cent, as One Nation surged by 2.5 points to 29.5 per cent, overtaking every other party to become the most popular single choice for male voters. Male voters shifted from Labor to One Nation, but remain tied with the Coalition in two party Coalition support among men edged up to 23 per cent, while Other Parties and Independents dropped two points to 10.5 per cent.  The data shows male voters are abandoning Labor in favour of One Nation, rather than shifting back to the Coalition. Despite Labor's strong lead, government confidence remains low.  The Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating rose 4.5 points to 65.5 this week, still far below the neutral mark of 100.  Only 26 per cent of Australians believe the country is heading in the right direction, while a stark 60.5 per cent say it's on the wrong path. Confidence is highest among Labor supporters, scoring 135 points, while Greens voters register at 88 points.  Coalition voters sit at 32.5, and One Nation's supporters express the lowest confidence, just 10.5 points.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.