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Compensation for Carbon Tax

7 Mar 2011

Q. It is expected that a tax on carbon pollution will increase the cost of electricity. Which of the following do you think should receive compensation for this increased cost?

Should receive compensation Should not receive compensation Don’t know
Low income households 84% 8% 8%
Farmers 74% 13% 13%
Small business owners 70% 14% 15%
All households 70% 16% 14%
Trade exposed industries 28% 44% 29%
Manufacturing industries 26% 51% 23%
The aluminium industry 18% 56% 26%
Power companies 15% 68% 17%

There was strong majority support for compensating households (especially low income households), farmers and small businesses.

Support for compensating companies and industries was relatively low. A little over one quarter think trade exposed and manufacturing industries should be compensated and only 15% think power companies should be compensated.

Although all voter groups showed similar support for compensating low income families, Coalition voters showed stronger support for compensation for all other groups – for example, 78% of Coalition voters thought all households should be compensated compared to 65% of Labor voters and 51% of Greens voters.

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