Vic govt continues to trail Labor: poll

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine is defending his government's performance on public transport with a poll showing Labor is still ahead just two months from the state election.

The Essential Research Poll for September, published by Fairfax media, puts support for Dr Napthine's coalition at 48 per cent versus 52 per cent for Labor on a two-party preferred basis.

The major parties are tied on a primary vote of 39 per cent but support for the Greens is 11 per cent and their preferences generally flow Labor's way.

Only 23 per cent of those polled rated the government's performance on public transport as good or very good, compared to 36 per cent who said it was poor or very poor.

"With regard to public transport, I say to the people since we've come to government there is now an additional 10,000 tram, train and bus services each and every week," Dr Napthine told reporters when asked about the poll result on Monday.

He said the government had invested in new rolling stock, that punctuality and reliability across the network had increased, and new train lines and extensions were planned.

"Only one poll counts and that's on the 29th of November," Dr Napthine also said.

"The people of victoria will have a clear choice between a government that's got a clear plan to grow jobs and opportunities to invest in key services - such as health, education, community safety - and invest in key infrastructure projects that will decongest Melbourne."

Job creation was another weak spot for the government, with only 15 per cent of those polled saying the coalition's record was good or very good versus 41 per cent saying it was poor or very poor.

An Essential Research poll in March put support for the coalition at 47 per cent, trailing Labor on 53 per cent, on two-party preferred basis.