Federal coalition MPs are heading into the new parliamentary year buoyed by improved showings for the government and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
"The truth is we are in good space," cabinet minister Christopher Pyne told ABC radio on Monday.
The first Newspoll for 2018 has the coalition trailing Labor 48-52 per cent after preferences, a slight improvement on its standing at the end of 2017.
Mr Turnbull has extended his lead as preferred prime minister to 14 points over Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.
"This is going to be a very bleak year for Bill Shorten, unfortunately the public have found him out," Mr Pyne said.
Treasurer Scott Morrison, fresh from a visit to the US, is upbeat about the state of the Australian economy and the global outlook.
"I think the year is one of great economic opportunity, not just here in Australia but all around the world," he told reporters in Canberra.
"The Australian economy is off to a great start this year, the global economy is off to a great start."
Government MPs believe the focus will be on Labor and Mr Shorten, rather than the coalition, as parliament returns from the long summer break.
The Newspoll also showed almost half of all voters would prefer someone other than Mr Shorten to lead Labor.
Deputy leader Tanya Plibersek (25 per cent) is preferred leader among all voters closely followed by Anthony Albanese (24 per cent) with Mr Shorten on 22 per cent.
Among Labor voters, Mr Shorten was a clear choice with 37 per cent backing him over Ms Plibersek (27 per cent) and Mr Albanese (23 per cent).
Senior Labor frontbencher Tony Burke believes Mr Shorten will lead Labor to the next election.
"We don't want to go back to the days, which the Liberal Party are still in, of constant leadership change and speculation," he said
Greens leader Richard Di Natale argues the government doesn't have a future.
"It's relying on the missteps of the opposition," he told reporters.
