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Australian opposition Leader Tony Abbott has had a big jump inpopularity after last week's federal budget and the government's asylumseeker deal with Malaysia.

A Herald/Nielsen poll has Mr Abbott's approval rating above Prime Minister Julia Gillard for the first time.

He rose three points to 45 per cent, while Ms Gillard slipped two points to 43 per cent.

Ms Gillard, however, has maintained her lead as preferred prime minister, 47 to 42 per cent.

Aboutsix in 10 voters polled are against the asylum seeker-swapping dealwith Malaysia, while about eight in 10 said it would not make anydifference to boat arrivals.

Labor's primary vote is still at 31 per cent while the opposition is on 47 per cent. The Greens fell two points to 10 per cent.

Meanwhile,another poll shows that although voters have had their worst reactionto a federal budget in 20 years, most people still prefer it to theopposition coalition's response budget.

The latest Newspoll shows 37 per cent of people believe the budget is good for the economy, compared to 32 per cent who do not.

Inthe same poll, when asked if the Coalition would have presented abetter budget, 41 per cent said no, while 38 per cent said yes.

But Labor is trailing the Coalition 46 to 54 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.

The Coalition also raised its primary vote by two points to 46 per cent, while Labor's stayed steady at 33 per cent.

Andwhile Ms Gillard is still ahead of Mr Abbott as preferred primeminister, the Opposition Leader has been given a two-point boost to 38per cent behind Ms Gillard's 42 per cent.