Labor defends Shorten's poor ratings

Labor has dismissed suggestions its tax-the-rich policies are impacting on Bill Shorten's standing with voters.

Malcolm Turnbull has gained his biggest personal lead over the Labor leader - 46-29 per cent - as preferred prime minister in the latest Newspoll.

It was Mr Shorten's biggest slide in the leadership measure since February and follows weeks of campaigning on inequality issues.

In response, the government has targeted Labor's "politics of envy" accusing the opposition of "socialist revisionism" and rebirthing failed left-wing economics.

Opposition frontbencher Tony Burke insisted Labor was presenting serious policies based on trying to get some equity across the tax system.

"So there's not one rule for the wealthy at the top end of town and another rule for everyone else," he told ABC radio.

Cabinet minister Simon Birmingham said the poll reflected the government's focus on practical solutions for cost-of-living challenges.

"Over the last couple of weeks Malcolm Turnbull has been hard at it on the issues that matter to Australian people," he told Sky News.

"Yet in Bill Shorten we still have a leader who just wants to play political games. This is a very cynical opposition and you can see it right across every position they take."

The Newspoll also shows the coalition inching back ground with voters, but still trailing Labor 47-53 per cent after preferences.

At 37 per cent, the government's core support among voters has returned to a level last seen in March.

Labor's primary vote has held steady at 38 per cent while support for the Greens is also unchanged on 9 per cent, while there was a small fall in support for others.