Even the Greens, who achieved their objectives on climate change and asylum seekers, go unrewarded, their vote staying where it was at the last election.

The disconnect between what the voters would prefer and reality is best illustrated by the question of whom they would prefer to be leading the major parties.

While Gillard and Abbott have dominated the stage, especially inside Parliament, Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull have strengthened their status as preferred leaders.

The one constant in today's Age/Nielsen Poll is that Labor would lose in a landslide if an election was held now.

Any number of measures would justify Labor MPs contemplating a leadership change, but there is some positive news, too: Labor's primary vote has a three in front of it and Abbott's lead as preferred PM is halved.