Debate on the Carbon Pricing Scheme
Q. Do you think the introduction of the carbon pricing scheme has been rushed and needs more time to consider or do you think it has been discussed enough and it is now time to make a decision?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Has been rushed and needs more time to consider | 52% | 28% | 72% | 20% |
| Has been discussed enough and it is now time to make a decision | 38% | 60% | 21% | 73% |
| Don’t know | 10% | 11% | 6% | 8% |
The majority of respondents think that the carbon pricing scheme had been rushed and more time is needed to consider it (52%). Thirty eight per cent (38%) think that it has been discussed enough and it is now time to make a decision. Ten percent (10%) of respondents don’t know.
Lib/Nat voters are the most likely to think that the scheme has been rushed (72%) and Greens voters are the least likely to think so (20%).
Greens voters (73%), followed by Labor voters (60%) are more likely to think that the scheme has been discussed enough and it is now time to make a decision.
Respondents aged 65+ are far more likely to regard the scheme has having been rushed (62%). Those aged 18-14 years old (43%) and 55-64 (44%) are the most likely to think that the scheme has been discussed enough and it is now time to make a decision.
Support for Carbon Pricing Scheme
Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s proposal to introduce a carbon pricing scheme from 1 July 2012, which will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?
| 7 March | 14 March | 28 March | 18 April | 23 May | 30 May | 14 June | 11 July | 18 July | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 35% | 38% | 34% | 39% | 41% | 38% | 38% | 35% | 39% | 39% | 77% | 12% | 82% |
| Total oppose | 48% | 49% | 51% | 49% | 44% | 48% | 49% | 53% | 49% | 51% | 14% | 83% | 11% |
| Strongly support | 9% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 11% | 15% | 15% | 33% | 2% | 42% |
| Support | 26% | 26% | 22% | 26% | 27% | 24% | 25% | 24% | 24% | 24% | 44% | 10% | 40% |
| Oppose | 19% | 17% | 19% | 15% | 15% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 16% | 19% | 9% | 26% | 6% |
| Strongly oppose | 29% | 32% | 32% | 34% | 29% | 29% | 30% | 34% | 33% | 32% | 5% | 57% | 5% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 13% | 15% | 12% | 15% | 15% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 10% | 9% | 5% | 7% |
Opinions of the Government’s carbon pricing scheme have changed little the last time this was surveyed two weeks ago. 39% support (no change) and 51% oppose (down 2%).
82% of Greens voters and 77% of Labor voters support the scheme and 83% of Liberal/National voters oppose.
Those aged under 35 are more likely to support the scheme (46% support/39% oppose) and those aged over 55 oppose (36% support/57% oppose).
Importance of Carbon Pricing Issue
Q. How important is the issue of the carbon pricing scheme in deciding which party you would vote for?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Very important | 30% | 25% | 39% | 33% |
| Somewhat important | 29% | 28% | 31% | 35% |
| A little important | 21% | 25% | 16% | 18% |
| Not at all important | 13% | 18% | 12% | 8% |
| Don’t know | 7% | 3% | 2% | 6% |
30% say that the carbon pricing scheme is very important to their voting decision and 29% say it is somewhat important. Liberal/National voters are more likely to consider it very important (39%).
The carbon pricing issue is more important to those who are opposed than those who support it. 68% of those who oppose the scheme say it is very/somewhat important compared to 58% of those who support it.
Tony Abbott’s belief in Climate Change
Q. What do you think Tony Abbott actually believes about climate change?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Does not believe in climate change | 19% | 28% | 14% | 34% |
| Does believe in climate change | 27% | 13% | 46% | 8% |
| Doesn’t care whether climate change is real or not | 31% | 48% | 17% | 42% |
| Don’t know | 22% | 11% | 22% | 16% |
31% of respondents think that Tony Abbott doesn’t care whether climate change is real or not, 27% think he believes in climate change and 19% think he doesn’t.
46% of Liberal/National voters think he believes in climate change compared to only 13% of Labor voters and 8% of Greens voters. 34% of Greens voters think he does not believe in climate change and 48% of Labor voters think he doesn’t care whether climate change is real or not.
Concern About Climate Change
Q. Over the last 2 years, have you become more concerned or less concerned about the environmental effects of global warming or do you feel about the same as you did 2 years ago? (This question was commissioned by Network Ten).
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Men | Women | Age
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | |
| Total more concerned | 46% | 61% | 35% | 72% | 45% | 47% | 55% | 42% | 42% |
| Total less concerned | 11% | 4% | 19% | 2% | 16% | 6% | 12% | 11% | 10% |
| Much more concerned | 15% | 23% | 7% | 36% | 14% | 16% | 16% | 14% | 16% |
| A little more concerned | 31% | 38% | 28% | 36% | 31% | 31% | 39% | 28% | 26% |
| A little less concerned | 5% | 3% | 8% | 1% | 7% | 3% | 6% | 6% | 3% |
| Much less concerned | 6% | 1% | 11% | 1% | 9% | 3% | 6% | 5% | 7% |
| About the same | 40% | 32% | 45% | 24% | 35% | 45% | 29% | 43% | 48% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 5% | * |
46% say they have become more concerned about the effects of global warming over the last 2 years, 11% are less concerned and 40% say they feel about the same.
Those more likely to be more concerned are Labor voters (61%), Greens voters (72%) and those aged under 35 (55%).
Those more likely to feel about the same are Liberal/National voters (45%), women (45%) and those aged 55+ (48%).
Support for Carbon Pricing
Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s proposal to introduce a carbon pricing scheme from 1 July 2012, which will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?
| 7 March | 14 March | 28 March | 18 April | 23 May | 30 May | 14 June | 11 July | 18 July | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 35% | 38% | 34% | 39% | 41% | 38% | 38% | 35% | 39% | 75% | 14% | 75% |
| Total oppose | 48% | 49% | 51% | 49% | 44% | 48% | 49% | 53% | 49% | 13% | 79% | 14% |
| Strongly support | 9% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 11% | 15% | 35% | 1% | 44% |
| Support | 26% | 26% | 22% | 26% | 27% | 24% | 25% | 24% | 24% | 40% | 13% | 31% |
| Oppose | 19% | 17% | 19% | 15% | 15% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 16% | 8% | 22% | 6% |
| Strongly oppose | 29% | 32% | 32% | 34% | 29% | 29% | 30% | 34% | 33% | 5% | 57% | 8% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 13% | 15% | 12% | 15% | 15% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 7% | 11% |
39% (up 4%) support the Government’s proposed carbon pricing scheme and 49% (down 4%) oppose. It is supported by 75% of Labor voters and 75% of Greens voters but opposed by 79% of coalition voters. This represents an increase in support since the previous survey (conducted before the Government’s announcement) but is similar to the June results.
By age, those aged under 35 split 44% support/42% oppose, and those aged 55+ split 38% support/55% oppose.
For those who consider themselves very well or somewhat informed about the carbon pricing scheme, 44% support and 53% oppose.
Read and Heard about Carbon Pricing Scheme
Q. How much have you read and heard about Government’s carbon pricing scheme?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| A lot | 35% | 37% | 41% | 28% |
| Something | 30% | 27% | 33% | 30% |
| A little | 30% | 30% | 24% | 38% |
| Nothing | 4% | 4% | 2$% | 4% |
| Don’t know | 1% | 2% | 1% | – |
35% say they have heard a lot about the carbon pricing scheme and 30% say they have heard something. Only 4% say they have heard nothing. 52% of respondents aged 55+ say they have heard a lot compared to 25% of those aged under 35.
Knowledge of Carbon Pricing Scheme
Q. How well informed do you feel about how the carbon pricing scheme will affect you and your family?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Very well informed | 17% | 23% | 19% | 12% |
| Somewhat informed | 40% | 40% | 43% | 40% |
| A little informed | 26% | 24% | 24% | 28% |
| Not at all informed | 13% | 11% | 12% | 18% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
17% consider themselves very well informed about how the carbon pricing scheme will affect them and 40% say they are somewhat informed.
28% of those aged 55+ consider themselves very well informed and 44% somewhat informed. 51% of those aged 18-35 consider themselves very well or somewhat informed.
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Federal voting intention
- Leader attributes: Scott Morrison
- Federal government response to Covid-19
- State government response to Covid-19
- Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
- Reason those who would get vaccinated against Covid-19 have not been vaccinated yet
- Speed of NSW lockdown
- Time for Covid-19 milestones to occur for NSW
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