The premier faced criticism over chaotic protests. Most voters back his actions

Most NSW voters feel Premier Chris Minns successfully managed the protest against visiting Israeli President Isaac Herzog, despite chaotic scenes erupting and criticisms that Muslims were stopped from carrying out their evening prayers.

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission is investigating the conduct of police at last month’s protest outside Town Hall amid claims some officers used excessive force to disperse the protesters.

However, a survey of 1100 voters, conducted by Resolve Political Monitor from March 9 to 14, revealed that 54 per cent of voters believed Minns handled the protests well, including the decision to restrict the protest area and not allow people to march.

Only 18 per cent of voters felt he handled the protest poorly, the survey shows.

Minns and NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon have repeatedly defended the actions of police against accusations of heavy-handedness after vision showing police punching, pepper-spraying and arresting protesters went viral.

Minns has also refused to give a public apology to a group of Muslim protesters who were dispersed by police officers while in the middle of evening prayer. The Herald later revealed a senior officer had given approval for the prayers to go ahead.

The premier has repeatedly said that social media clips of the protest do not give the full “context”. However, the Herald obtained footage showing the moment a young man at the protest sent a shaken Coca-Cola bottle into the crowd outside Town Hall, turning an angry protest into a chaotic clash, or a “riot”, as Minns has called it.

The Resolve survey also asked voters about other pressing issues facing the state, including the Albanese government’s confirmation that it would start work on a Sydney to Newcastle fast rail link.

Less than half of voters support the rail link (49 per cent) and 54 per cent said they were unlikely to make use of the service, which the federal government says will cost $90 billion.

Voters also sent NSW Labor and the Coalition a clear sign that they are unhappy with the major parties, 46 per cent saying they would vote for someone other than Labor or the Coalition, mirroring the federal sentiment.

One Nation’s primary vote is on 23 per cent in NSW, only two percentage points lower than the Coalition, which is on 25 per cent. NSW Labor has slumped from 37 per cent to 29.

Responding to the Resolve survey on Thursday, Minns said he had no reason to doubt that the poll results for One Nation were accurate.

“I think their vote share is increasing, and it may well be the case that NSW is in a three-corner contest rather than a traditional two-cornered contest,” Minns said.

“What I will say, though, is that certainly there are times that uncertainty right now, and a lot of families are under a lot of pressure, but we’ve got a lot of faith in our plan, and we’re going to make that case to the people of NSW.”

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