Support for Australian PM stalls: Newspoll

The surge of voter support for Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the Australian Labor Party (ALP) since he reclaimed the Labor leadership appears to have stalled, according to the latest Newspoll.

The Newspoll published in the Australian newspaper on Tuesday showed support for Labor eased slightly, with the Coalition on 52 percent compared to Labor's 48 percent after preferences.

The poll found that primary vote support for Labor slipped from 38 percent two weeks ago to 37 percent, while the Coalition's rose from 42 percent to 45 percent.

Kevin Rudd's support has fallen from 53 percent to 50 percent since the last poll, while Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's support has risen from 31 percent to 34 percent.

Results from Newspoll and Nielsen two weeks ago showed the two major parties were tied on 50-50 in the two-party preferred stakes.

Since replacing Julia Gillard as Labor party leader and prime minister, Rudd has overhauled the Labor Party rules to firm up the position of prime minister.

Rudd has also revealed a new asylum seeker policy which will see all asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat transferred to Papua New Guinea.