PM has commanding lead over Labor leader in poll that also shows most Australians aware of ban on climbing Uluru

Australian voters are warming to both Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese, with approval of both the major party leaders increasing as the 46th parliament settles into its post-election tempo, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll.

According to the latest survey of 1,091 respondents, the prime minister’s approval rating is five points higher than it was before the start of the election campaign.

Approval for the new Labor leader has also gone up four points in the past month from 35% in May to 39% in the latest poll. Two months after replacing Bill Shorten, Albanese’s standing is equivalent to Shorten’s prior to the federal election.

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While the early voter sentiment for Albanese appears positive, the survey also indicates voters are yet to get a fix on the Labor leader, with 37% of the sample (and 33% of people identifying themselves as Labor voters) saying they don’t know whether they approve of his performance or not. Twenty-four per cent of the sample say they disapprove.

Morrison’s approval in the survey sits at 48%, with 34% disapproving and 18% saying they do not know whether they approve or disapprove of his performance. Unsurprisingly, the prime minister’s approval is highest among Coalition voters (86%). Other cohorts giving him the thumbs-up include retirees (58%) and people living in high-income households (59%).

On the preferred prime minister ranking, Morrison has a commanding lead over Albanese, with 44% of the sample endorsing the prime minister and 26% nominating the Labor leader (up one point in a month). Thirty-one per cent of the sample are not sure.

There has been controversy post-election about the reliability of opinion polling because none of the major surveys – Newspoll, Ipsos, Galaxy or Essential – correctly predicted a Coalition win on 18 May, projecting Labor in front on a two-party preferred vote of 51-49 and 52-48.

The lack of precision in the polling has prompted public reflection at Essential, as has been flagged by its executive director, Peter Lewis.

Guardian Australia is not currently publishing measurements of primary votes or a two-party preferred calculation, but is continuing to publish survey results of responses to questions about the leaders and policy issues. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3%.

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Voters were asked this week about their attitudes about climbing Uluru. Tourists have been travelling to central Australia to climb the rock, against the wishes of the traditional owners, before the practice is banned in October. The ABC has reported that tourists have been trespassing, illegally camping and dumping rubbish in the lead-up to the closure.

More than two-thirds (69%) of Australians are aware of the impending ban. Attitudes in the community are mixed, with 27% strongly supporting the ban, 17% somewhat supportive, 21% neither support or oppose the change, 14% oppose the ban somewhat, 16% strongly oppose the ban and 5% are unsure.

A majority agree that tourists should respect the cultures and traditions of Indigenous landowners when they visit Uluru (69%) and more than half the sample (52%) agrees that the traditional landowners are the best people to manage Uluru according to their culture and traditions.

One in three of the sample believe it is OK for tourists to climb Uluru while they can, despite the preference from the traditional owners that visitors desist (36%). Some respondents say the ban will make them less likely to visit Uluru (34% agree with that statement and 36% disagree).