Q. How important are the following issues for Australia?

Reaching a global agreement on climate change was considered very/somewhat important for Australia by 74% of people surveyed.   63% think that having a Bill of Rights is very/somewhat important and 59% think Australia gaining a seat on the UN Security Council is very/somewhat important.

Green (94%) and Labor (87%) voters were more likely to think that reaching a global agreement on climate change is very/somewhat important for Australia.  Just over half (55%) of Coalition voters think that this is very/somewhat important for Australia.

Comments »

Q. Thinking about climate change, the Government says legislation for an emissions trading scheme needs to be passed before the world summit on climate change being held in Copenhagen in December. The Opposition says Australia should delay making any decisions on an emissions trading scheme until after the world summit. Who do you agree with most?

33% of people surveyed agree with the Government’s view that legislation for an emissions trading scheme needs to be passed before the world summit on climate change being held in Copenhagen in December.  38% agree with the view of the Opposition in that Australia should delay making any decisions on an emissions trading scheme until after the world summit, and 29% don’t know.

The number of people that agree with the view of the Opposition has increased slightly (+2%) since we last asked this question in June, while the number of those that agree with the Government has stayed the same.

People aged 55 years and over were more likely to agree with the view of the Opposition’s view that the introduction of an emissions trading scheme should wait until after the world summit (55%), while people aged 34 years or less were more likely to agree with the Government’s view regarding the introduction of the scheme before the world summit (38%).

Males were more likely than females to agree with the view of the Opposition on this issue (44% v 34%).

Comments »