Photo: © 2010 AAP/ALAN PORRITT

Today's Nielsen poll gives the Coalition a 53 per cent share of the two-party preferred vote, a swing that would see it pick up 29 seats at the next election.

While it’s the Coalition best performance in the polls in over five years, Rudd remains the preferred contender for the prime minister's office.

But his grip there is slipping too – he's down to 49 per cent, while Tony Abbott is up slightly to 39 per cent.

The other big winner is The Greens, now the first choice of 15 per cent of voters.

Pollster John Stirton has told The Age the poll "still looks like a protest against the government and Rudd, but it's now big enough to tip Labor out of office."