The polls showed voters didn’t like his budget – and now they have shown they don’t like him either.

In a week where Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey handed down a particularly bleak mid-year update that predicted the country would remain in the red, new opinion polls have rated him as the worst treasurer in 40 years.

Howard-era treasurer Peter Costello rated most popular with a 30 percent approval rating, followed by Paul Keating, John Howard and then Wayne Swan on eight percent.

Mr Hockey came in last on the list with just a four percent approval rating.