A new poll shows Malcolm Turnbull would be thoroughly beaten by both Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard if he ran against either of them in an election.
The weekly poll from Essential Media Communications shows the coalition opposition continues to lag well behind Mr Rudd as he enters his second year in office.
Asked who would make the better prime minister, 39 per cent of respondents said Ms Gillard, with only 34 per cent backing Mr Turnbull.
When pitted against the incumbent, Mr Turnbull fared even worse.
Labor would have won an election by 58 per cent to 42 per cent, the poll said.
"Mr Turnbull has been given no honeymoon," Essential's manager of federal political relations Chris Johnson said.
"When more people would rather see the deputy prime minister as prime minister over the opposition leader, I would suggest that is something to worry about."
The polling also pitted Ms Gillard against Mr Rudd but it was no contest. The man in The Lodge won 63 per cent to Ms Gillard's 14 per cent.