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Syrian officals ordered to leave, a Cabinet committee for foreign worker agreements and possible change to online betting laws, Tim Lester reports.

ONE Liberal MP says Tony Abbott's view of his continuing deep personal unpopularity is that he is in ''a two-horse race and you've just got to beat the other horse''.

In the latest Newspoll his satisfaction rating has fallen to 31 per cent, his lowest ever; his dissatisfaction level rose to a new high of 60 per cent. Julia Gillard has 30 per cent satisfaction and 60 per cent dissatisfaction. Despite Labor trailing 46-54 per cent, she leads as better PM 40-37 per cent.

Rebecca Huntley, a director at Ipsos, which conducts focus groups, says the general feeling about Mr Abbott is that ''there is a question mark over his head - what kind of prime minister would he be?

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What's not to like ... Tony Abbott Photo: Andrew Meares

''They still see him as John Howard's pugilistic minister with a potential for volatility.'' But given his disciplined performance and the government's problems, she expects voters to ''quash any niggling feelings of doubt about him'' at the election.

Nielsen pollster John Stirton says Mr Abbott polarises people. ''Conservative voters think he's a potential saviour for the nation. Everyone else isn't quite so sure.

''His 'take no prisoners' style has had Labor spooked from day one and his reward has been a healthy opinion poll lead for the Coalition. But this has come with a cost, or at least it has reinforced his negative image.''

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The mystery that is Abbott's unpopularity