Julia Gillard narrows the gap on Tony Abbott for preferred leader, finds Newspoll A new Fairfax/Nielsen poll has Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott neck-and-neck on 46 per cent as preferred PM. THE opinions of Australian voters are now entrenched and not even a Federal Budget promising help for the disabled and education reforms will change their minds, the latest Newspoll suggests. According to the poll, Labor's primary vote was stationary on 31 per cent while the Coalition's eased one point to 46 per cent. The Australian says that based on preference flows at the last election, the Coalition maintains its election-winning lead of 56 to 44 per cent on a two-party-preferred basis. Prime Minister Julia Gillard with Education Minister Peter Garrett at Parliament House in Canberra on Sunday. And following the Budget, voters were asked who would make the better Treasurer. The Coalition's Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey trumped Wayne Swan for the first time by 39 per cent to 35 per cent. The paper said the split in reaction neutralised any benefit for the Gillard government out of the Budget and the national disability insurance scheme, DisabilityCare Australia, leaving political support unchanged over the last three months. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is warned - the PM is closing in on his popularity, according to the latest Newspoll. Meanwhile, the latest Nielsen poll has Labor as the underdog to win the Federal Election but voters can't seem to choose a leader. Gillard and Abbott are back on par as preferred Prime Minister, the poll shows. Both leaders are on 46 per cent as preferred Prime Minister, an eight point improvement for Ms Gillard since last month. On a two-party-preferred basis, the Coalition still has a strong lead with 54 per cent compared with the Labor government on 46 per cent. Both results, if repeated on election day, would give the Coalition a thumping victory. Cabinet minister Craig Emerson says the nation can expect to see Julia Gillard fight hard for the top job. "The Prime Minister is such a fighter . . . she will continue to fight for Australian families so that their kids get a great education," he told ABC radio. She will fight against any increase in the GST rate or the application of GST to food.