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Kevin Rudd - Source: Reuters -
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Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's push to reform the country's health system ahead of national elections has paid off in the opinion polls, with government support lifting from two-year lows.
The latest Reuters Poll Trend found Rudd's government has taken a 10.4-point lead over the opposition, with 55.2% support compared to the opposition's 44.8% on the two-party basis which decides Australian elections.
The result is a three-point improvement for the government since February, and shows Rudd's arm-wrestle with the states over hospital funding stalled an opposition revival, boosting Rudd's stocks ahead of a crucial budget session of parliament.
If the result carried through to a national election, Rudd's government would easily be returned with 16 more seats in the 150-seat lower house. This would give him a strong mandate to pass his stalled scheme to curb carbon emissions.
Rudd's centre-left government has been frustrated by an obstructionist upper house Senate where the opposition holds the largest voting bloc. He has been unable to deliver on key election promises, hurting his popularity in recent months.
But Rudd won state backing for his health plans this week, and will now focus on tax reforms and the May 11 national budget, which will be his last major opportunity before an election to sell his credentials as an economic conservative.
The opposition remains opposed to many Rudd programmes and might use its Senate numbers to try to block the health reforms, forcing Rudd to seek support from the Greens and two independent senators.
The next regular Australian election is due toward the end of 2010. Rudd won the last election with 52.7% of the two-party vote.
Rudd remains preferred prime minister with 57.0% support, down from a high of 70.7 in April 2008, compared with Abbott's 30.4%.
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