Rudd can gain seats in early vote: poll

It's been revealed that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is on track to pick up
Liberal-held seats in Victoria, South Australia and Queensland if he chooses to go
to the polls early in a double-dissolution election.

A Newspoll survey published in The Weekend Australian also reveals that Labor has
reversed its drop in support in regional cities, returning to 53 per cent on
two-party-preferred terms.
But the survey, which covers the period including and immediately before a bitter
Liberal split on climate change, the failure of Copenhagen to secure a binding
agreement and the elevation of Tony Abbott as opposition leader, detects small
decreases in support for the government among those 50 years and older.
The results underline the opposition leader's decision to focus on winning over
older voters by elevating Bronwyn Bishop to the front bench with the seniors
portfolio, arguing she remains popular with the elderly.
The survey, covering October to December of last year, also finds Mr Rudd's high
rating as better prime minister has been eroded slightly in NSW among males and
among those aged 50 or more.
The Newspoll survey was taken from a large sample of 8,000 voters combining national
Newspolls over October to December to provide a large enough sample to examine major
demographic patterns and state trends.
On a two-party-preferred basis Labor would win an election in a landslide, leading
the Coalition with 57 per cent support to the Coalition's 43 per cent.