Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s support rating has plummeted on the eve of the federal budget.

Latest opinion polls reveal that if an election had been held at the weekend the Labor Government would be out of office.

Lara Hill reports.

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The Nielsen Poll, published just months away from the Federal election, shows support evenly divided between Labor and the Coalition.

Poll numbers for Kevin Rudd are a worry… with his personal approval rating down 14 points and his disapproval rating to 49 percent.

Mr Rudd also finds himself down 6 points in the preferred Prime Minister poll, an outcome the opposition was happy to capitalise on.

Tony Abbott, Opposition Leader: “I think there is a developing crisis of confidence about Kevin Rudd’s capacity to govern effectively.”

The Federal Treasurer sought to put a brave face on the new poll in the wake of his third federal budget.

Wayne Swan, Federal Treasurer: “Opinion polls come and go what governments have to do is the right thing in the long term.”

With last month’s shelving of the carbon emissions scheme among a series of recent Government backdowns the Prime Minister has drawn fire from within his own party.

Dick Adams, Labor Member for Lyons: “There needs to be some telling of why the rationale behind some of those decisions.”

Mr Swan says health remains high on the agenda for tomorrow night’s federal budget.

Wayne Swan, Federal Treasurer: “We will put in place the biggest reforms to Medicare since its introduction.”

The Treasurer claims the budget has been designed to prepare Australia for the future.

Wayne Swan, Federal Treasurer: “This is a very important budget, this is a responsible budget what you will see is long term reform.”

Lara Hill, QUT News