New PM Malcolm Turnbull gives Liberals poll bounce

Malcolm Turnbull's rise to prime minister has already given the Liberals a poll bounce of nearly three percentage points.

The first poll since Mr Turnbull's party room defeat of Tony Abbott on Monday night shows the government and opposition now 50-50 on a two-party preferred basis.

A fortnight earlier, Labor was comfortably ahead 53-47 percent.

The ReachTEL poll of 3278 people across Australia, conducted on Wednesday night for the Seven Network, shows primary support for the Liberal Party at 39.3 percent, up 2.8 points in just over a fortnight.

Labor's support dropped 1.6 point.

Mr Turnbull comfortably leads Opposition Leader Bill Shorten as preferred prime minister - 61.9 percent to 38.1 percent.

At the last poll on August 28, Mr Shorten comfortably led Mr Abbott 57.9 to 42.1 percent.

The verdict on Mr Abbott's performance hasn't changed much.

The latest poll shows just 14.4 percent rate his performance as very good, the same as on August 28, while 36.5 percent rate his performance as very poor, a one point improvement.