Australia's opposition Labor lead over government slips ahead of election: poll

The opposition Labor Party’s lead over Australia’s conservative coalition government narrowed further, while a minor right-wing party gained support, a closely watched opinion poll showed on Monday ahead of a general election on May 18. The Newspoll was released on the day that early voting was set to begin and Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Labor leader Bill Shorten were set to hold their first televised debate. Labor’s lead fell by a point to 51 percent to 49 percent from the previous poll two weeks ago on a two-party preferred basis, where votes are distributed until a winner is declared, the Newspoll in The Australian newspaper showed. Morrison’s government had trailed Labor by 54 percent to 46 percent in March, before calling the election.