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  • Dec, 2020

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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).
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