Prime Minister Julia Gillard is preparing for what is expected to be a fiery cabinet meeting later today, after damaging leaks to the media over the weekend.
The leaks suggested deep divisions within Cabinet over how to deal with asylum seekers and offshore processing.
Fairfax media reported that Immigration Minister Chris Bowen had tried to persuade Cabinet colleagues to agree to send asylum seekers to Nauru, but the proposal was rejected by Ms Gillard.
In some good news for Labor, a new poll out today shows Labor’s vote edging up, but the party is still heading for a heavy defeat at the next election.
Today’s Nielsen poll (HERE) shows Labor’s primary vote has jumped three percentage points in the past month to stand at 30 per cent.
It is the first time since May the figure has reached the 30s.
The Coalition’s primary vote was steady at 48 per cent.
The Coalition still has a two-party preferred lead of 57 per cent over Labor’s 43 per cent.
The poll of 1,400 voters also found Kevin Rudd remains twice as popular as preferred Labor leader compared to Ms Gillard or Defence Minister Stephen Smith.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott’s approval rating is steady at 43 per cent.
