Coalition trails polls, leads interest rate rise

In an election of pet issues, the Coalition continues to poll well as economic managers despite losing on issues such as education, health and the environment. It seems the election will come down to what voters consider most important.

The Herald/Nielsen poll, taken after John Howard’s gaffe about his 2004 election promise to keep interest rates "at record lows", indicates that 47 percent of those polled would trust the Coalition with interest rates opposed to Labor, 32 percent. This is despite the possibility of a sixth rate rise since Howard’s re-election.

However, Labor lead the polls on industrial relations 57 percent to the Coalition’s 27 percent and lead overall as the two-party preferred government.