I take responsibility for poll: Turnbull

(AAP) Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull says he takes responsibility for the performance of the Liberal Party after a Newspoll indicated only 19 per cent of voters would prefer him as Prime Minister.

"I am the leader of the Opposition and naturally I take responsibility for our
performance," he told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday.
The Newspoll found Labor ahead of the Coalition on a two-party preferred basis 59 to
41, while 66 per cent of voters gave the nod to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's
leadership.
Mr Turnbull has not ruled out a merger between the Liberals and Nationals at a
federal level as he called for unity between the parties.
Mr Turnbull says he wants to keep disagreements within the coalition to a minimum
after four Nationals and two Liberals crossed the floor in the Senate last week, in
defiance of their colleagues.
"We work very closely together in coalitions," Mr Turnbull said.
"Sometimes we disagree; those disagreements should be as few as possible and when
they do occur they should be very courteous.
"But the critical thing is that unity is vital and that's certainly something I'm
very committed to."
He said a merger was an issue to be driven by party members.
"The reason the LNP worked in Queensland - the merger of the state Liberal and
National parties - was because an overwhelming percentage of the grassroots
membership of both parties voted for it.
"We've got a very large grassroots membership in our branches - they have to make
the decisions and it has to be driven from the grassroots."