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Climate Change and Natural Disasters

14 Feb 2011

Q. Does the extreme nature of the recent floods and cyclone make it more or less important for Australia to take action to address climate change or does it make no difference?

Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
Total more important 49% 60% 35% 83%
Total no difference/less important 47% 38% 63% 14%
Much more important 27% 35% 16% 59%
A little more important 22% 25% 19% 24%
Makes no difference 44% 37% 57% 12%
A little less important 1% * 1% 2%
Much less important 3% * 6%
Don’t know 4% 2% 2% 4%

49% believe that the extreme nature of the recent floods and cyclone make it more important for Australia to take action to address climate change and 47% think it makes no difference or is less important.

Opinions tend to be related to voting intention – 60% of Labor voters and 83% of Greens voters believe it is more important, while 63% of Liberal/National voters think it makes no difference or is less important.  55% of respondents aged under 35 think it is more important compared to 39% of those aged 65+

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