According to an AC Nielsen poll taken between Thursday and Saturday last week 80% of Australians back the federal government's health plan. At the same time there has been a small deterioration in the standing of the Prime Minister and support for Tony Abbott is up.

Roy Morgan research reports that consumers are now 34.3 pts more confident than they were twelve months ago, taking the Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence index to 129.5, up 4.8 in a week. This mirrors our polling with most respondents confident of the direction in which their personal circumstances are heading.

Roy Morgan research reports that the Liberals are just ahead of Labor in Victoria with 50.5% of the two-party preferred vote. This is despite ALP Premier John Brumby being preferred as premier by 50.5% over Ted Baillieu, the Opposition leader who is preferred by only 30.5%. ALP first preference support of 37.5% was well below the Liberal Party's support of 42%. The poll was taken betwen February 17 and 28th.

The latest Newspoll, taken over the 26-28 February, shows little change in the party votes since last election. This ought to be a concern to the ALP as the polls have consistently over-estimated their real level of support between elections.