The Coalition’s primary vote is back up to 40 per cent for the first time since April, regaining lost ground after an unpopular budget, the latest Newspoll shows.

The poll indicates Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s focus on international affairs has helped him take back the lead as preferred prime minister over Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for the first time in four months.

Conducted at the weekend and published in The Australian newspaper on Monday, the poll shows Mr Abbott is on 41 per cent compared to Mr Shorten on 37 per cent.

The Coalition’s primary vote has risen four points to 40 per cent in the past fortnight but is still 5.6 points lower than its election-winning result of 45.6 per cent.

Labor’s primary vote dropped for the second consecutive poll and is down two points to a three-month low of 34 per cent.

In two-party-preferred terms, Labor continues to be ahead, 52 per cent to 48 per cent, which is a 5.5 per cent swing to the ALP since the election.

The Greens gained one point to 13 per cent, while independents and other parties dropped from 16 per cent to 13 per cent.