The latest Nielsen poll in Fairfax newspapers shows Labor has an election-winning lead over the Coalition.

The poll has the Government leading the Opposition by 8 points on a two-party preferred basis, at 54 per cent to 46 per cent.

On the primary vote, Labor has nudged ahead to 42 per cent, while the Coalition is on 41 per cent.

The poll found Ms Gillard has a clear lead over Mr Abbott as preferred prime minister.

There is also a strong view that if Ms Gillard wins, she should make Kevin Rudd foreign affairs minister.

The poll finds 68 per cent of people say she should give him the job.

That is around the same number that say they are disappointed with the way he was dumped as prime minister.

While the Neilsen figures are strong for Labor nationally, they show it is trailing by eight points in Queensland and Western Australia.

The Coalition could win up to 10 seats in Queensland on those figures.

Women favour Gillard

Meanwhile, another poll for The West Australian reveals Julia Gillard's popularity with WA women may cost the Coalition a marginal seat in the upcoming election.

Tony Abbott has been campaigning heavily in the resource-rich state, hoping unease over the Government's mining tax could result in a flow of votes to the Coalition.

But Westpoll of four key seats shows the resolution of the mining stoush has helped the Government shore up votes in its most marginal seat of Hasluck.

The poll has the Coalition tracking better than the Labor Party on the mining tax but not convincingly, a sign the compromise had achieved the Government's goal of easing the electorate's fears over the tax.

The poll surveyed 1,650 voters in the seats of Canning, Hasluck, Cowan and Swan and also found female voters were more likely to vote Labor in the seat of Canning, currently held by the Liberals' Don Randall.

If the figures were to be borne out at the election, it would result in a narrow win for former WA state minister Alannah MacTiernan.

Ms Gillard has consistently polled strongly with female voters since coming to power.

However the poll also showed the Liberals are likely to hang onto the seat of Swan, contradicting the perception that last year's redistribution

The poll also has Cowan being returned to the Liberals.

Tony Abbott is expected to continue his attack on the mining tax at today's West Australian Liberal State Conference.

Julia Gillard is spending the day campaigning in Brisbane.