The Turnbull government has clawed back some ground on Labor in the latest Newspoll, while Malcolm Turnbull is still the preferred prime minister.

But Labor remains ahead on a two-party preferred basis for the 19th Newspoll in a row, nearly two years after Mr Turnbull cited the polls for ousting Tony Abbott as prime minister.

The latest Newspoll in The Australian shows the coalition rose to 47 per cent to Labor’s 53, up from a previous 46 to 54 per cent, on a two-party preferred basis.

Despite his government’s lack of public support, Mr Turnbull overall remains Australia’s preferred leader, at 46 per cent to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s 29 per cent.

Mr Turnbull replaced Mr Abbott as leader in September 2015, claiming at the time the loss of 30 consecutive Newspolls was part of his justification.

The acrimony between the two men has plagued the federal Liberal party recently and won’t be helped by News Corp Australia report on Monday.

The report claims Mr Turnbull gave “a scathing, expletive-ridden assessment” of Mr Abbott’s prime ministership in front of other cabinet ministers after a black-tie event in Sydney 14 months before Mr Abbott was dumped.