Labor voters favour welfare drug testing

A national YouGovGalaxy survey of Labor voters shows more than half back trialling drug testing welfare recipients.

A poll conducted for The Daily Telegraph showed a 63 per cent approval rate among Labor voters for the trial in Canterbury-Bankstown in Sydney, Logan in Queensland and Mandurah in Western Australia.

Under the trial, people receiving Newstart or Youth Allowance benefits who failed a drug test would have 80 per cent of their payments quarantined on debit cards.

Those who failed the test twice would be offered drug counselling.

The trial is expected to take two years.

The same poll showed a national 70 per cent approval rating for the trial, with 24 per cent opposed and six per cent uncommitted.

Coalition voters offered the strongest support, with 91 per cent in favour of the trials, while Greens voters showed 45 per cent support.

The government still needs to get the legislation enabling the trail through the Senate, with Parliament set to resume on Monday.

Senate crossbencher Jacqui Lambie has refused to throw her support behind the legislation, demanding more rehabilitation beds to be made available and even raising the prospect of having pollies screened for drugs.

Labor social services spokeswoman Linda Burney previously described the proposal as "punitive, unworkable" policy.

The Australian Greens also oppose the plan.

YouGovGalaxy surveyed 1,075 people.