Australia’s Turnbull announces environmental plan amid popularity slide

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday announced a AU$30 million ($21.7 million) environmental package to clean up local parks, surf clubs and wetlands amid a slide in his approval ratings, just weeks away from general elections.

The prime minister made the announcement while he was campaigning in Long Jetty on the Central Coast, 100km north of Sydney, accompanied by local Liberal Party MP Karen McNamara.

His visit came as polls published on Saturday showed his popularity slipping, although most voters expected his LiberalNational Coalition government to win the Jul. 2 elections, reported The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.

While Turnbull’s personal approval rating is lower than that of former Prime Minister Julia Gillard when she failed to win a majority against Tony Abbott in the deadlocked 2010 elections, 57 percent of voters are confident in a Coalition victory.