Labor struggles to turn election tide under new premier

Support for one state Labor government securing a fourth term remains stubbornly anchored at one in four as a new premier struggles to turn the tide.

With Victorians headed to polls in November, Labor and the coalition have been duking it out in recent weeks over potholes, road and train upgrades, a secret public transport levy, crime and free dental clinics.

But the latest Resolve Political Monitor, conducted last week and published by Nine Newspapers on Tuesday, suggests the election outlook has barely changed in the past month.

Labor's primary vote was steady at 25 per cent, the coalition's pushed up one point to 27 per cent and One Nation still at 23 per cent.

Ben Carroll, who rose to the top job seven weeks ago after ousting Jacinta Allan, was the preferred premier of 20 per cent of poll respondents - the same result recorded in August.

He was well adrift of Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, who notched 28 per cent.

One Nation's Victorian leader Warren Pickering garnered eight per cent in that category and his net-positive approval rating lifted despite recent admissions of past drug use and drink-driving.

Victorian voters were generally pessimistic, with 19 per cent expecting the state's outlook to improve compared to 44 per cent believing it will worsen.

With state net debt forecast to hit almost $200 billion by 2030, Victorians (72 per cent) more commonly expressed worry about levels than other residents in other states such as NSW (67 per cent) and Queensland (63 per cent).

Almost half of respondents preferred to pause Suburban Rail Loop East rather than keep tunnelling, while 35 per cent backed Labor's $230 million free dental care plan compared to 43 per cent who reckoned it was not worth the cost and should not proceed.

The poll showed primary support for the Greens was 12 per cent, while independents scooped up eight per cent.

Climate 200-backed community independents Sophie Torney, Shima Ibuki and Melissa Goffin were scheduled to speak at an election event Hawthorn Arts Centre in Melbourne's east on Tuesday night.

Community independents were unable to gain a foothold in Victorian parliament in November 2022 after the unprecedented "teal wave" of the federal election months earlier.

Climate 200, founded by businessman Simon Holmes a Court, said the Kew, Hawthorn and Mornington independent campaigns were providing a strategic counterweight to the pull of One Nation on the Liberals.