PM 'blames' climate policy for poll hit

(AAP) - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says his climate change policy could be to blame for the hit he's taken in the polls.

The first Newspoll of the new year, published in The Australian on Tuesday, shows
Labor's primary vote support - at 40 per cent - has slumped to its lowest level
since the 2007 election.
Mr Rudd's approval rating also took a tumble, dropping six points to 52 per cent.
It's bad news for the PM, who had enjoyed a long honeymoon with the voters in the
form of glowing polls.
Mr Rudd highlighted the government's climate change policy when asked about the poor
result.
"Taking decisions, in the national interest, on climate change, may not be popular
for some," he told reporters in Hobart.
"The government's focus is taking decisions, hard decisions, in the national
interest ... and some of those decisions will not be popular."
Mr Rudd also pointed to decisions on the economy, health and schools.
Labor's plans on climate change are in doubt after the Senate twice threw out the
proposed emissions trading scheme, and the Copenhagen climate conference bombed.
The opposition has turned against any ETS under leader Tony Abbott and questioned
some of the science of climate change. And they've got a lift in the polls.
Mr Abbott said Labor's poll slide showed voters were "very, very anxious" about the
direction the government was taking.
The poll showed Mr Rudd retains an easy - albeit smaller than previously - lead as
preferred prime minister, 57 per cent to 25 per cent.
Mr Abbott told Macquarie Radio that Mr Rudd was still ahead because he was too
afraid of public opinion to do anything unpopular.
"I think it's very hard to think of anything that Mr Rudd has done that has upset
anyone very much.
"He is ... a prime minister who is desperate to maintain his popularity but worrying
about your popularity is bad for your popularity."
The coalition still risks losing up to 13 seats at the next election with Labor
holding an eight-point lead - 54-46 - after the distribution of preferences.
Newspoll CEO Martin O'Shannessy says the latest poll figures show the coalition has
made "a little bit of ground" on the government, despite a tumultuous end to 2009
when it split over emissions trading and the leadership.
The figures also reflected a year-long downturn in Labor's primary vote.
"We've seen about a five per cent fall during the past 12 months," he told Sky News.
Opposition seats which would be lost if the poll result was repeated at the next
include election include those of frontbenchers Christopher Pyne, Michael Keenan,
Bob Baldwin, Peter Dutton and Luke Hartsuyker.