Climate change and bushfires
Q. Thinking about the bushfires in New South Wales, which of the following statements is closest to your view?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
|
| It likely that the bushfires are linked to climate change and it is appropriate to publicly raise this issue |
27% |
41% |
13% |
64% |
22% |
|
| It likely that the bushfires are linked to climate change but it is inappropriate to publicly raise this issue at this time |
14% |
14% |
15% |
9% |
9% |
|
| It is unlikely the bushfires are linked to climate change |
48% |
37% |
63% |
19% |
62% |
|
| Don’t know |
11% |
8% |
9% |
7% |
7% |
41% think that the NSW bushfires are likely to be linked to climate change and 48% think it unlikely they are linked to climate change. 27% think they are linked and it is appropriate to raise this issue while 14% think they are linked but it is inappropriate to raise this issue at this time.
Those most likely to think the bushfires and climate change are linked were aged under 35 (49%), Labor voters (55%), Greens voters (73%) and those with university education (53%).
Those who think it is unlikely they are linked tended to be aged 55+ (61%), Liberal/National voters (63%) and those who had not completed secondary education (60%).
Actions on climate change
Q. Which of the following actions on climate change do you most support?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
|
| Keeping the carbon tax |
15% |
30% |
2% |
44% |
4% |
|
| Replacing the carbon tax with an emissions trading scheme |
21% |
25% |
15% |
35% |
24% |
|
| Replacing the carbon tax with the Liberal’s “direct action” plan |
15% |
2% |
28% |
3% |
19% |
|
| Dumping the carbon tax and not replacing it at all |
31% |
25% |
41% |
5% |
35% |
|
| Don’t know |
18% |
18% |
14% |
14% |
17% |
31% think the carbon tax should be dumped and not replaced, 21% support replacing it with an emissions trading scheme, 15% prefer the Liberal’s “direct action” plan and 15% think the Government should keep the carbon tax.
Those most likely to support keeping the tax or changing to an emissions trading scheme were Labor voters (55%) and Greens voters (79%), people aged under 25 (59%) and those with a university education (45%).
Those most likely to think the carbon tax should be dumped and not replaced were Liberal/National voters (41%) and those who had no post-secondary education (42%). Only 28% of Liberal/National voters preferred the Liberal’s “direct action” plan.
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 09 |
Dec 10 |
30 May 11 |
14 Jun |
15 Oct 12 |
29 Jan 13 |
27 May |
|
Total 1 Oct |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Climate change is happening and is caused by human activity |
53% |
45% |
52% |
50% |
48% |
51% |
51% |
52% |
67% |
36% |
82% |
|
| We are just witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate |
34% |
36% |
36% |
39% |
39% |
40% |
35% |
36% |
22% |
51% |
10% |
|
| Don’t know |
13% |
19% |
12% |
12% |
13% |
9% |
14% |
12% |
10% |
12% |
8% |
52% agree that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity and 36% believe that we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate. This is a similar result to when this question was previously asked in May.
By age groups, those aged under 35 split 61%/25% and those aged 55+ split 42%/48%. People with higher education were more likely to think climate change is happening and is caused by human activity – those with university degrees split 64%/27%.
Other issue of most concern
Q. And which of these other issues are you personally most concerned about?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Border security |
30% |
20% |
48% |
5% |
|
| Climate change |
16% |
23% |
5% |
45% |
|
| Population growth |
12% |
10% |
13% |
4% |
|
| Marriage equality |
9% |
11% |
4% |
24% |
|
| Treatment of the aged |
17% |
21% |
16% |
12% |
|
| Treatment of the disabled |
7% |
10% |
4% |
7% |
|
| None of them |
5% |
3% |
7% |
4% |
|
| Don’t know |
4% |
2% |
3% |
– |
30% were most concerned about border security, 17% treatment of the aged and 16% climate change.
Border security (48%) was the main issue of concern to Liberal/National voters and 45% of Greens voters nominated climate change.
Party leader trust most on issues
Q. Which party leader – Kevin Rudd or Tony Abbott – would you trust most to handle the following issues?
|
Kevin Rudd |
Tony Abbott |
No difference |
Don’t know |
Net difference |
Difference for parties 23 Jul 13 |
|
| Management of the economy |
32% |
35% |
21% |
11% |
-3 |
-15 |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children |
41% |
25% |
24% |
10% |
+16 |
+9 |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system |
37% |
27% |
25% |
11% |
+10 |
+1 |
| Protecting the environment |
33% |
22% |
31% |
14% |
+11 |
na |
| A fair industrial relations system |
41% |
28% |
19% |
12% |
+13 |
+11 |
| Political leadership |
37% |
32% |
22% |
9% |
+5 |
-7 |
| Addressing climate change |
35% |
21% |
31% |
13% |
+14 |
na |
| Controlling interest rates |
24% |
32% |
32% |
12% |
-8 |
-14 |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries |
32% |
30% |
25% |
13% |
+2 |
-1 |
| Ensuring a quality water supply |
26% |
23% |
36% |
15% |
+3 |
-7 |
| Housing affordability |
26% |
25% |
34% |
15% |
+1 |
-2 |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system |
31% |
32% |
26% |
11% |
-1 |
-2 |
| Security and the war on terrorism |
25% |
29% |
33% |
13% |
-4 |
-15 |
| Treatment of asylum seekers |
26% |
31% |
32% |
11% |
-5 |
-11 |
| Managing population growth |
21% |
28% |
37% |
15% |
-7 |
-13 |
Substantially more respondents said they would trust Kevin Rudd more than Tony Abbott to handle a quality education for all children, a fair industrial relations system, addressing climate change, protecting the environment and ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system. Tony Abbott is more trusted to control interest rates and manage population growth.
When compared with a similar question about trust in the parties asked last month, Kevin Rudd rates considerably better that the Labor Party on management of the economy, political leadership and security and the war on terrorism.
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 09 |
Dec 10 |
30 May 11 |
14 Jun |
15 |
29 Jan 13 |
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Climate change is happening and is caused by human activity |
53% |
45% |
52% |
50% |
48% |
51% |
51% |
68% |
38% |
83% |
| We are just witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate |
34% |
36% |
36% |
39% |
39% |
40% |
35% |
23% |
50% |
10% |
| Don’t know |
13% |
19% |
12% |
12% |
13% |
9% |
14% |
9% |
12% |
8% |
51% agree that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity and 35% believe that we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate. This is a five point decline in those thinking it is just a fluctuation in the earth’s climate since this question was previously asked in January.
By age groups, those aged under 35 split 60%/22% and those aged 55+ split 42%/49%. People on higher incomes were more likely to think climate change is happening and is caused by human activity – those earning under $600pw split 42%/44% while those earning over $1,600pw split 54%/34%.
Climate change policies
Q. If they win the election the Liberal Party plans to dump the carbon tax and replace it with what they call a “direct action” plan which involves planting trees and paying companies to reduce their carbon pollution. Which approach to climate change would you favour?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| The Government’s tax on the largest polluting companies to encourage them to reduce carbon pollution |
39% |
67% |
20% |
63% |
| The Liberal’s policy to plant trees and pay companies to reduce carbon pollution |
29% |
9% |
49% |
15% |
| Neither |
18% |
11% |
23% |
14% |
| Don’t know |
14% |
13% |
8% |
8% |
39% favour the Government’s policy on addressing climate change and 29% favour the Liberal Party’s “direct action” plan. 18% do not support either approach.
The Government’s approach had strongest support from Labor voters (67%), Greens voters (63%) and people aged under 35 (44%).
The Liberal Party’s plan had strongest support from Liberal/National voters (49%) and people aged 65+ (45%).
Important election issues
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
|
Total 11 Feb 13 |
19 Nov 12 |
30 Jul 12 |
5 Dec 11 |
6 June 11 |
25 Jan 10 |
|
| Management of the economy |
62% |
66% |
64% |
62% |
61% |
63% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children |
29% |
35% |
26% |
22% |
26% |
23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system |
52% |
57% |
47% |
47% |
49% |
48% |
| Protecting the environment |
14% |
14% |
11% |
13% |
15% |
16% |
| A fair industrial relations system |
12% |
8% |
12% |
11% |
8% |
na |
| Political leadership |
14% |
15% |
25% |
18% |
17% |
23% |
| Addressing climate change |
9% |
9% |
9% |
10% |
15% |
16% |
| Controlling interest rates |
9% |
11% |
9% |
11% |
13% |
15% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries |
40% |
32% |
41% |
36% |
32% |
33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply |
4% |
5% |
3% |
4% |
5% |
12% |
| Housing affordability |
11% |
14% |
13% |
13% |
16% |
14% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system |
21% |
17% |
18% |
16% |
17% |
14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism |
6% |
5% |
5% |
4% |
8% |
9% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers |
6% |
6% |
10% |
8% |
5% |
na |
| Managing population growth |
9% |
7% |
8% |
8% |
12% |
na |
*Not asked
62% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 52% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system, 40% Australian jobs and protection of local industries and 29% ensuring a quality education for all children.
Since November, there has been an increase in the importance of Australian jobs and protection of local industries (+8%) and a decline in the importance of ensuring a quality education for all children (-6%) and ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (-5%).
Essential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
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