Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott today survived a confidence vote on his leadership after just 17 months in power, despite a disastrous new poll showing his popularity plunging.

Abbott has been fighting for his job after poor ratings and a series of policy backflips spurred some MPs from his conservative Liberal Party openly to attack him, calling for a leadership "spill" last week. The motion aimed to declare vacant the positions of party leader and deputy leader currently occupied by Abbott and Deputy Prime Minister Julie Bishop.