South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has been ranked the country’s most popular state leader, according to new data from respected pollster DemosAU.

In a blow to Liberal Leader Ashton Hurn in the lead up to the March 21 State Election voting day, Malinauskas achieved a net positive score of 33 per cent, with 55 per cent of respondents ranking him positively, 31 per cent feeling neutral, and 18 per cent viewing him negatively.

In South Australia, 1070 voters were surveyed on their views between January 31, 2026, and February 16, 2026, with an effective margin of error of +/3.6.

Meanwhile, Victorian Labour Premier Jacinta Allan received the lowest score, with an abysmal net positive rating of -37 per cent.

Just 16 per cent of voters viewed her positively, while 31 per cent were neutral and 53 per cent had a negative opinion of her premiership.

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Opinion on state premiers

DemosAU Head of Research George Hasanakos said the findings were a reliable snapshot of how voters felt about their leaders.

“Without a doubt, we see a very popular leader in Peter Malinauskas, who has been able to obtain a positive rating from more than half of the electorate. In an era of general skepticism of politicians, this is no mean feat,” Hasanakos said.

“This bodes very well for Mr Malinauskas around one week out from the state election.

“In Victoria, Jacinta Allan is definitely struggling as Labor seeks a fourth term with voters leaning towards calling time on the incumbent in Spring Street.”

Hasanakos said DemosAU tested the popularity of each leader during state-based polls conducted during February and March.

In each poll, respondents were asked whether they had a positive or negative view of a range of leading political figures, including the state Premier. These results were used to form the comparison table above.