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Support for government action on climate change
Q. To what extent would you support or oppose the following policy proposals if they were adopted by the Federal Government?
TOTAL: Support | Nov’20 | Jan’20 |
Requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction | 80% | 68% |
Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2030 | 75% | 64% |
Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 | 81% | 71% |
Ban all political donations from fossil fuel companies | 72% | 62% |
Accelerate development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy | 87% | 81% |
New coal mines opening in Australia | 49% | – |
The fossil fuel industry receiving taxpayer funded subsidies | 42% | – |
- Support for government action on climate change has increased since earlier this year across the policy proposals put forward.
TOTAL: Support | TOTAL: Oppose | Strongly support | Somewhat support | Somewhat oppose | Strongly oppose | |
Requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction | 80% | 20% | 31% | 49% | 15% | 5% |
Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2030 | 75% | 25% | 35% | 40% | 16% | 8% |
Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 | 81% | 19% | 36% | 44% | 13% | 7% |
Ban all political donations from fossil fuel companies | 72% | 28% | 30% | 42% | 21% | 7% |
Accelerate development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy | 87% | 13% | 44% | 43% | 9% | 4% |
New coal mines opening in Australia | 49% | 51% | 15% | 34% | 27% | 24% |
The fossil fuel industry receiving taxpayer funded subsidies | 42% | 58% | 11% | 31% | 34% | 24% |
- 87% would support accelerating development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy and 80% would support requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction.
- 81% would support setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 and 75% would support setting this target for 2030.
- The most contentious issues are new coal mines opening in Australia (49% support vs 51% oppose) and the fossil fuel industry receiving taxpayer funded subsidies (42% support vs 58% oppose), where we see more of a divide between support and opposition compared to other policy proposals.
TOTAL: Support | Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | ||||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
Requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction | 80% | 75% | 85% | 76% | 83% | 80% | 82% | 79% | 88% | 77% | ||
Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2030 | 75% | 69% | 81% | 74% | 81% | 72% | 82% | 67% | 93% | 74% | ||
Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 | 81% | 78% | 83% | 81% | 84% | 77% | 88% | 75% | 88% | 72% | ||
Ban all political donations from fossil fuel companies | 72% | 71% | 73% | 71% | 78% | 67% | 74% | 65% | 87% | 75% | ||
Accelerate development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy | 87% | 84% | 89% | 81% | 88% | 91% | 88% | 87% | 92% | 82% | ||
New coal mines opening in Australia | 49% | 56% | 42% | 53% | 54% | 41% | 43% | 57% | 23% | 52% | ||
The fossil fuel industry receiving taxpayer funded subsidies | 42% | 43% | 40% | 48% | 48% | 29% | 41% | 44% | 23% | 40% | ||
Base (n) | 1,034 | 528 | 506 | 329 | 320 | 385 | 322 | 430 | 88 | 107 | ||
- Support for government action on climate change is higher among women compared to men, especially regarding setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2030 (81% to 69%) and requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction (85% to 75%). Women are less likely than men to support the opening of new coal mines (49% to 56%).
- Coalition voters have the highest support for opening new coal mines (57% compared to 52% minor party voters, 43% Labor voters and 23% Greens voters).

COVID-19 RESEARCH
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Two Party Preferred:
Labor
45%
Coalition
48%
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Top Federal Government priorities for 2021
- Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
- Perceptions of change in the standard of living for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Changing views towards Australia Day
- Support towards a separate national day
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