PM sticks with boats battle as government sails to election defeat

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has vowed to keep up the fight on border protection as new poll numbers point to an election defeat for the government.

Bill Shorten remains on track to be Australia's next prime minister after Labor maintained a six-point lead over the Coalition following a tumultuous fortnight in politics.

Labor is ahead of the Coalition with an unchanged two-party preferred vote of 53-47 per cent, according to the latest Newspoll published by The Australian.

The poll reveals the bitter stoush over the transfer of asylum-seekers has done little to help the government but Mr Morrison denied he was scaremongering on the issue of border protection.

"I know what the accusations are," he told Deb Knight on Today.

"I was accused of that when the boats were turning up thick and fast when we were in opposition and people said as a team we wouldn't be able to turn it around. And we did.

"That was an important thing for us to do as a nation. I don't get swayed by those criticisms.

"I do what's right for the country and our borders."

The two-party preferred vote hasn't shifted since the start of the year, but both the prime minister and opposition leader suffered hits to their respective approval ratings.

Mr Morrison's approval rating dropped to one per cent to 42 per cent, while Mr Shorten was at 35 per cent.

More people disapproved of Mr Morrison, with 48 per cent of those surveyed unhappy with his performance, while the percentage of those who disapproved of Labor leader Mr Shorten rose two points to 53 per cent.

The poll was conducted between February 21 and 24 and surveyed 1582 people across the country in both city and country regions.

The results come less than three months before the expected May election, with the PM ramping up promises today.

Mr Morrison has announced $2 billion fund will go towards reducing Australia's carbon emissions.

With AAP