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Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard - Source: Reuters -
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It was enough to make me cough up my soy latte all over my Nicholas Jermyn shirt.
TEAM ABBOTT SECURES ELECTION-WINNING LEAD trumpeted the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.
Less than a week ago, the political obituaries were rolling in for Australia Opposition leader Tony Abbott after his insensitive remark about a dead soldier seemed to both rob him of the power of speech during an on camera interview.
Then came the reports of infighting among senior levels in the Coalition, caused by proposed cuts to the foreign aid budget. It was the Coalition's worst week since Abbott took the leadership in December 2009.
But once again, predictions of Abbott's political demise were premature and today his resurrection was complete with a new poll showing the Coalition holding a thumping election winning lead over Julia Gillard's Labor party.
On a two-party preferred basis, Coalition leads Labor 54-46, a swing of 4 percent since the August election. That's up 3 percent for the Blues and down 3 percent for the Reds.
Gillard is still suffering from the way she came to power. Punters keep asking if she is real or fake and last week's tears spilt by the PM on the parliament floor when talking about Queensland's flood did nothing to quell suspicions.
There is some good news for Julia Gillard. Aussies still like her as PM. Gillard leads her nemesis 51-41 as preferred Prime Minister.
When Julia Gillard visits NZ for talks with John Key tomorrow, you will see if a somewhat tired-looking Australian leader can shake off a fitness fanatic
* Read all Steve Marshall's opinion articles - here
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