Four months out from the election, Newspoll has produced its latest quarterly survey of South Australian state voting intention. Conducted in tandem with federal polling over the past three months, it is of course the first to appear since the onset of Mike Rann’s present difficulties with Michelle Chantelois and her husband. Labor’s vote is down four points to an alarming 37 per cent, but as the Liberals can still only manage 35 per cent (up two), they still hold a 53-47 lead on two-party preferred. The Greens are up a point to 12 per cent, compared with 6.5 per cent at the 2006 election.

Importantly, Rann’s approval rating has not taken a hit: he is down one point to 50 per cent, while disapproval is down two to 38 per cent. The poll also provides further evidence that the South Australian Liberals have, not for the first time, stumbled by accident upon a better leadership proposition than what they had to begin with. After making a strong debut in August with an approval rating of 43 per cent and disapproval of 10 per cent, Redmond is now up eight points on both measures to 51 per cent and 18 per cent. However, Rann retains a strong lead on preferred premier of 48 per cent (up two) to 31 per cent (up four).

Here are charts showing the progress of South Australian Newspoll results over the current term.