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NSW Labor leader Chris Minns and Premier Dominic Perrottet are gearing up for the state election in March.Credit:

The Coalition’s primary vote is on 34 per cent,down from the 42 per cent secured when Gladys Berejiklian won in 2019. In a boost for Perrottet,his rating as preferred premier is the highest since he took over from the popular Berejiklian in November 2021.

One-third of voters prefer Perrottet as premier over Labor leader Chris Minns,who is only just behind on 29 per cent. More than a third of voters remain undecided about which man they back.

The Greens are on a primary vote of 12 per cent and in an ominous warning for the Liberals,independents are polling at 11 per cent.

Independents are shaping to be a significant threat to the Coalition,with teal candidates hoping for a repeat of the federal election in NSW which saw a wave moderate Liberals defeated by progressive females in once blue-ribbon electorates.

In NSW,the teals are targeting a host of seats on Sydney’s north shoreincluding Manly,Pittwater,Lane Cove and North Shore. It will be harder task,however,because of NSW’s optional preferential voting system and spending caps.

Resolve director Jim Reed said Perrottet held a narrow lead over Minns as preferred premier despite a horror start to the year,during which theLiberal leader admitted to wearing a Nazi costume to his 21st birthday.

“Most people are aware of the Nazi uniform incident that the premier apologised for,and yet his personal ratings have improved,” Reed said.

“The same thing happened to Kevin Rudd when he was caught out at a strip club in New York,and I think this may have had a similar humanising effect for Perrottet.”

The Resolve survey found 80 per cent of voters were aware of Perrottet’s admission,which he made afterTransport Minister David Elliott told him of rumours swirling within the party.

Elliott,who was furious with Perrottet at the time,made a late-night call to the premier to tell him that some disgruntled Liberal Party members in Perrottet’s right faction were claiming to be in possession of a damaging photo from the 21st birthday party.

Only 12 per cent of voters said Perrottet’s confession would influence their vote.

Perrottet’s boost in popularity,which dropped to 28 per cent in August after the damaging John Barilaro New York trade appointment scandal,also followed his determined push to overhaul gambling in NSW through the introduction of a cashless gaming card.

The premier has vowed to remove cash from the state’s 90,000 poker machines but is yet to release details of the reforms. Labor has released its own policy,which includes a cashless trial of 500 machines and a reduction on the daily cash inputs on new machines.

Two-thirds of voters are aware of Perrottet’s cashless gaming card proposal,although only 11 per cent said the plan would influence their vote.

Voters were also switched on to policy announcements made by Labor,according to the Resolve survey,which showed 64 per cent were aware of the opposition’splan to axe stamp duty for first home buyers on properties up to $800,000,with a concessional rate kicking in for homes up to $1 million.

With the cost of living expected to dominate the campaign,three-quarters of voters were also aware of the Coalition’s measures to help familiesincluding the $150 back to school vouchers. Only 10 per cent of voters said it would influence their vote.

Reed said the poll’s primary results had barely shifted since late last year,when Labor was ahead on a primary vote of 38 per cent,because the “electorate has disengaged over the break”.

“The vote position is basically static as we enter the election year,and voters are no more committed in their choice either,” Reed said.

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