Essential Report
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).
Relative concern for the climate change
Q. Considering everything which has happened so far this year, are you now more or less concerned about the impact of climate change than you were a year ago?
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| More concerned about the impact of climate change | 31% | 32% | 30% | 41% | 27% | 27% | 34% | 25% | |
| No more or less concerned about the impact of climate change | 53% | 49% | 56% | 45% | 56% | 56% | 50% | 58% | |
| Less concerned about the impact of climate change | 16% | 19% | 14% | 14% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 17% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 | |
Addressing Climate Change
Q. As far as you know, do you think Australia is doing enough, not enough or too much to address climate change?
| Mar’20 | Nov’19 | Mar’19 | Dec’18 | Oct’18 | Sep’17 | Aug’16 | |
| Doing enough | 23% | 22% | 27% | 24% | 23% | 20% | 22% |
| Not doing enough | 55% | 60% | 51% | 53% | 56% | 56% | 52% |
| Doing too much | 9% | 8% | 11% | 9% | 7% | 8% | 8% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 10% | 12% | 14% | 13% | 16% | 18% |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 1,083 | 1,089 | 1,032 | 1,027 | 1,011 | 1,022 |
| Gender | Age Group | Voting Intention | |||||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
| Doing enough | 23% | 26% | 21% | 19% | 24% | 26% | 18% | 36% | 8% | 20% | |
| Not doing enough | 55% | 51% | 59% | 63% | 54% | 49% | 66% | 37% | 86% | 52% | |
| Doing too much | 9% | 12% | 5% | 7% | 6% | 13% | 5% | 13% | 2% | 15% | |
| Don’t know | 13% | 11% | 16% | 12% | 15% | 12% | 11% | 14% | 4% | 14% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 328 | 372 | 95 | 146 | |
Support for zero-carbon pollution target for 2050
Q. To what extent would you support or oppose setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 if it were adopted by the Federal Government?
| Federal Voting Intention (Lower House) | Jan’20 | |||||
| Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
| Strongly support | 31% | 38% | 22% | 59% | 19% | 32% |
| Somewhat support | 44% | 42% | 46% | 33% | 44% | 39% |
| Somewhat oppose | 15% | 13% | 17% | 6% | 17% | 18% |
| Strongly oppose | 11% | 7% | 15% | 2% | 20% | 12% |
| NET: Support | 75% | 80% | 68% | 91% | 63% | 71% |
| NET: Oppose | 25% | 20% | 32% | 9% | 37% | 29% |
| Base (n) | 1,090 | 336 | 390 | 104 | 146 | 1,080 |
- 75% of participants support setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 if it were adopted by the Federal Government, up from 71% in January.
- The majority of all party voter support the introduction of targets. 91% of Greens voters, 80% of Labor and 68% of Coalition party voters all support the introduction of targets.
- Women (79%), capital city residents (77%) and Greens voters (91%) are most likely to support this initiative.
- Men (70%), non-capital city residents (70%) and independent/other party voters (63%) are least likely to support this initiative.
Climate Change Policy Proposals
Q. To what extent would you support or oppose the following policy proposals if they were adopted by the Federal Government?
| NET: Support | NET: Oppose | Strongly support | Somewhat support | Somewhat oppose | Strongly oppose | |
| Accelerate development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy | 81% | 19% | 41% | 40% | 12% | 7% |
| Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 | 71% | 29% | 32% | 39% | 18% | 12% |
| Requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction | 68% | 32% | 25% | 43% | 21% | 11% |
| Remove taxpayer funded subsidies to the fossil fuel industry | 68% | 32% | 30% | 38% | 22% | 11% |
| Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2030 | 64% | 36% | 26% | 38% | 21% | 15% |
| Ban all political donations from fossil fuel companies | 62% | 38% | 28% | 34% | 25% | 13% |
| Prevention of new coal mines opening in Australia | 62% | 38% | 27% | 35% | 23% | 16% |
| Voting Intention | |||||
| NET: SUPPORT | Total | Labor | Liberal + National | Greens | NET: Other |
| Accelerate development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy | 81% | 86% | 75% | 87% | 77% |
| Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 | 71% | 81% | 56% | 89% | 62% |
| Requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction | 68% | 78% | 54% | 76% | 68% |
| Remove taxpayer funded subsidies to the fossil fuel industry | 68% | 77% | 56% | 83% | 64% |
| Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2030 | 64% | 77% | 47% | 87% | 52% |
| Ban all political donations from fossil fuel companies | 62% | 72% | 48% | 79% | 57% |
| Prevention of new coal mines opening in Australia | 62% | 70% | 48% | 84% | 51% |
| Base (n) | 1,080 | 351 | 342 | 110 | 156 |
- 81% of participants support the accelerated development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy and 71% support a zero-carbon pollution target to be set for 2050.
- Support for all policies was higher among Labor and greens voters, and lower among Coalition.
Climate Change
Q. Do you believe that there is fairly conclusive evidence that climate change is happening and caused by human activity or do you believe that the evidence is still not in and we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate which happens from time to time?
| Nov’19 | Mar’19 | Oct’18 | Sep’17 | Aug’16 | |
| Climate change is happening and is caused by human activity | 61% | 62% | 63% | 64% | 57% |
| We are just witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate | 28% | 27% | 25% | 24% | 26% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 17% |
| Base (n) | 1,083 | 1,089 | 1,027 | 1,011 | 1,022 |
| Total | Gender | Age | Voting Intention | |||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
| Climate change is happening and is caused by human activity | 61% | 59% | 63% | 74% | 61% | 50% | 74% | 47% | 89% | 44% |
| We are just witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate | 28% | 32% | 25% | 18% | 25% | 41% | 16% | 43% | 1% | 48% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 9% | 12% | 8% | 15% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 7% |
| Base (n) | 1,083 | 527 | 556 | 329 | 369 | 385 | 342 | 373 | 93 | 162 |
61% believe that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity. This is consistent with previous results in Mar’19 (62%) and Oct’18 (63%).
- 28% believe that we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate, no change from earlier in the year (27% in March).
- By age groups, those aged 18-34 were most likely to believe in man-made climate change (74%) and those over 55+ least so (50%).
- Less than half of Coalition votes (47%) believe that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity.
Addressing Climate Change
Q. As far as you know, do you think Australia is doing enough, not enough or too much to address climate change?
| Nov’19 | Mar’19 | Dec’18 | Oct’18 | Sep’17 | Aug’16 | |
| Not doing enough | 60% | 51% | 53% | 56% | 56% | 52% |
| Doing enough | 22% | 27% | 24% | 23% | 20% | 22% |
| Doing too much | 8% | 11% | 9% | 7% | 8% | 8% |
| Don’t know | 10% | 12% | 14% | 13% | 16% | 18% |
| Base (n) | 1,083 | 1,089 | 1,032 | 1,027 | 1,011 | 1,022 |
| Total | Gender | Age | Voting Intention | |||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
| Not doing enough | 60% | 57% | 63% | 69% | 59% | 53% | 72% | 46% | 87% | 48% |
| Doing enough | 22% | 24% | 20% | 19% | 19% | 28% | 13% | 35% | 3% | 27% |
| Doing too much | 8% | 11% | 6% | 5% | 9% | 11% | 5% | 12% | 1% | 17% |
| Don’t know | 10% | 8% | 12% | 8% | 13% | 9% | 10% | 8% | 9% | 8% |
| Base (n) | 1,083 | 527 | 556 | 329 | 369 | 385 | 342 | 373 | 93 | 162 |
- 60% now think Australia is not doing enough to address climate change, this has increased from 51% in March 2019.
- Those people most likely to think Australia was not doing enough include young people aged 18-34 (69%), Greens voters (87%) and Labor voters (72%).
Climate change and bushfires
Q. Thinking about the bushfires in Queensland and New South Wales, which of the following statements is closest to your view?
| Nov’19 | Oct’13 | |
| It is likely that the bushfires are linked to climate change and it is appropriate to publicly raise this issue | 43% | 27% |
| It is likely that the bushfires are linked to climate change but it is inappropriate to publicly raise this issue at this this time | 17% | 14% |
| It is unlikely the bushfires are linked to climate change | 30% | 48% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 11% |
| Base (n) | 1,083 | 1,075 |
| Total | Gender | Age | Voting Intention | |||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
| It is likely that the bushfires are linked to climate change and it is appropriate to publicly raise this issue | 43% | 39% | 46% | 54% | 41% | 35% | 53% | 31% | 73% | 30% |
| It is likely that the bushfires are linked to climate change but it is inappropriate to publicly raise this issue at this this time | 17% | 22% | 12% | 22% | 17% | 13% | 19% | 20% | 7% | 13% |
| It is unlikely the bushfires are linked to climate change | 30% | 29% | 30% | 15% | 29% | 43% | 19% | 40% | 6% | 50% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 9% | 12% | 9% | 13% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 13% | 7% |
| Base (n) | 1,083 | 527 | 556 | 329 | 369 | 385 | 342 | 373 | 93 | 162 |
- 43% now think It likely that the bushfires are linked to climate change and it is appropriate to publicly raise this issue. When this question was last asked in 2013, 27% gave this answer.
- The proportion of people who think it is likely that the bushfires are linked to climate change but it is inappropriate to publicly raise this issue at this this time has remained fairly constant. 17% saying this in 2019, and 14% in 2013.
- Those least likely to think bushfires are linked to climate change and it is appropriate to publicly raise this issue are Coalition (31%) and other minor party and independent voters (31%).
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In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
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