A recent poll indicated that Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s ratings experienced decline as the federal government’s deal for asylum-seekers exchanges with Malaysia has taken its toll on Julia Gillard.

According to the latest Age/Nielsen survey, Labor still straggling the coalition about 44 to 56 per cent with voters deeply uncertain about the Gillard administration's strategy to dissuade boat arrivals.

Constricting Gillard's lead as the favored prime minister to three points, the shares of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott continue to improve. This has been by far the closest poll between the two.

Six out of ten Australians dislike the people-exchanging arrangement with Malaysia while more than eight out of ten natives say the agreement will make no difference or increase the arrivals, the survey showed.

Labor's major vote sits at a rock bottom 31 per cent, while the coalition is fixed on 47 per cent in the poll of 1,400 taken from last Thursday to Saturday.

The Greens’ vote decreased by two points, indicating a total of 10 per cent.

The Prime Minister's approval dropped two points to a 43 per cent record while her disapproval rating gained two points to 52 per cent, also a record for her.

On the other hand, Abbott's approval increased by three points to 45 per cent while his disapproval was down by one to 50 per cent.

Despite all these, Gillard retains a slim lead as the preferred Australia’s preferred prime minister at 47 per cent, down by three points to Abbott's 44 per cent, which is up by two.