Labor has overtaken the federal government in popularity for the first time in several months according to a survey of voters.

The opposition jumped two points to 52 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, a Newspoll published by The Australian on Monday shows.

The polling conducted late last week puts the ALP ahead as the coalition administration battles with absent senior ministers and a rape allegation against Attorney-General Christian Porter.

The major parties are locked at 39 per cent each on a primary-vote basis, with the Greens steady on 10 per cent and One Nation on three per cent.

Scott Morrison’s government has championed its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as it strides ahead with a national vaccine rollout, on top of recent announcements to help stimulate the flagging tourism sector and increased welfare payments.

But concurrently, the government’s Defence Minister Linda Reynolds is on extended sick leave and faces pressure to leave the portfolio over her handling of a rape allegation in Parliament House.

Porter is also on leave after outing himself as the senior minister at the centre of a historical rape allegation.

While the coalition might be losing favour among some voters, Morrison remained a clear favourite in the ‘better prime minister’ stakes, attracting 56 per cent support compared to Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese’s 30 per cent, with the remainder undecided.

Sixty-two per cent of respondents are satisfied with Morrison’s performance, which is down by two points since February.

The Newspoll is based on an online survey of 1521 respondents between Wednesday and Friday.