The Turnbull government insists most pensioners will be better off under changes in the New Year, as Newspoll analysis shows older voters are turning against the Coalition.
The analysis of 8508 voters in surveys taken for The Australian from October to December reveals a seven-percentage-point plunge in the primary vote for the Coalition among voters over 50 since the July 2 election.
Support for the government in the largest voting demographic has fallen from 49.9 per cent to 43 per cent.
Two-thirds of the lost vote has shifted to Labor and one-third to independents and minor parties.
The dip has come as the government faces criticism over an overhaul of superannuation taxes, changes to the pension assets test and aged care reforms.
But Special Minister of State Scott Ryan says pensioners will be better off and took a swipe at Labor leader Bill Shorten for fuelling a "scare campaign" over the changes.
Talking to reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday, Senator Ryan would not say if voters moving from the Coalition would come back once the pension changes came into effect.
"I don't make predictions about the future, but when 90 per cent of people see no change to their circumstances or an improvement, the most vulnerable pensioners are seeing an improvement to their circumstances, the family home remains completely exempt and it's only those with a substantial asset base that see some change, I think most Australians will support that," he said.
The Newspoll analysis shows the voting margin of almost 20 points that the coalition enjoyed over Labor among over-50 voters at the election has been cut to just eight points.
It also shows the near eight-point lead for the coalition among men at the election has been halved, with Labor's support among men rising to 36 per cent against the coalition's 40 per cent.
The coalition's lead among women is down 1.7 points to 38 per cent while Labor's has risen 0.4 per cent to 37 per cent.
The government, however, has posted a 1.6 point gain among voters aged 18 to 34 and held its position among voters aged from 35 to 49.
