Abbott Overtakes Gillard in Pre-Ballot Australia Poll

Australian opposition leader Tony Abbott’s coalition has an election-winning lead over Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s Labor Party with three weeks of campaigning left before the ballot, according to an opinion poll published today.

The Liberal-National coalition leads Labor 52 percent to 48 percent on a two-party preferred basis, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, citing a Nielsen poll. Gillard’s approval rating fell five points to 51 percent, while Abbott’s rose six points to 49 percent, according to the survey.