Voter support for Tony Abbott and the coalition is on the rise in NSW, South Australia and Western Australia, according to the latest Newspoll.

However, Bill Shorten and Labor are making strong gains in Queensland and dominate in Victoria.

The September quarter demographic analysis published in The Australian on Tuesday shows men and voters aged over 50 have become the prime minister’s main supporters, while the opposition leader’s strongest backers are women and under 35s.

• The Medibank letter that could cost the government
• New anti-terror laws are hurting, not helping
• Air strikes ‘not based on polls’

After being heavily penalised in the June quarter on the back of a poorly received federal budget, Mr Abbott’s personal standing has improved in every state except Queensland and across every age group, among men and women, as well as city and country voters.

Mr Shorten’s main gains have been in Queensland, where Labor is now in front in two-party-preferred terms for the first time since March 2010.

Mr Abbott is preferred prime minister by 38 per cent of voters, up one point, while Mr Shorten is preferred by 39 per cent, down two points.

Based on a sample of 6900 voters, the Newspoll shows the coalition’s primary vote up two points at 39 per cent, the opposition down a point on 35 per cent, and the Greens holding steady on 12 per cent.

On a two-party preferred basis, Labor is down a point at 52 per cent, while the coalition is up a point on 48 per cent.