Great Barrier Reef
Q. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has indicated it might declare the Great Barrier Reef “in danger” due to the impact of climate change, crown of thorns starfish and port development. The Australian Government says the Reef is not in danger and they are doing enough to preserve it. Who do you agree with more?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
|
| UNESCO World Heritage Committee |
55% |
69% |
34% |
86% |
63% |
|
| Australian Government |
20% |
12% |
38% |
1% |
17% |
|
| Don’t know |
25% |
19% |
29% |
13% |
20% |
55% agree more with the UNESCO World Heritage Committee that the Great Barrier Reef is in danger and 20% agree more that the Government is doing enough to preserve it.
Labor voters (69%) and Greens voters (86%) are much more likely to agree with the World Heritage Committee while Liberal/National voters are split 34% UNESCO and 38% Government.
Importance of environmental issues
Q. How important are the following environmental issues to you?
|
Total import-ant |
Total not import-ant |
|
Very import-ant |
Moder-ately import-ant |
|
Import -ant Vote Labor |
Import -ant Vote Lib/ Nat |
Import -ant Vote Greens |
Import -ant Vote Other |
|
| Protecting the Great Barrier Reef |
91% |
7% |
58% |
33% |
94% |
89% |
94% |
90% |
||
| Protecting endangered species |
87% |
11% |
49% |
38% |
91% |
83% |
89% |
87% |
||
| Cutting air and water pollution |
87% |
11% |
46% |
41% |
91% |
83% |
89% |
85% |
||
| Protecting native forests |
86% |
11% |
45% |
41% |
91% |
83% |
91% |
87% |
||
| Deforestation (for timber and paper) |
80% |
17% |
35% |
45% |
83% |
76% |
77% |
76% |
||
| Strengthen environmental protection laws |
77% |
20% |
35% |
42% |
84% |
69% |
88% |
79% |
||
| Deforestation (for palm oil products) |
74% |
22% |
37% |
37% |
78% |
67% |
82% |
75% |
||
| Population growth |
73% |
25% |
33% |
40% |
72% |
77% |
67% |
74% |
||
| Addressing climate change |
71% |
27% |
37% |
34% |
84% |
57% |
85% |
67% |
The most important environmental issues were protecting the Great Barrier Reef (91%), protecting endangered species (87%), cutting air and water pollution (87%) and protecting native forests (86%). All issues were thought to be important by over 70% of respondents.
The ranking of issues was similar across party voting groups except for –
- Addressing climate change, which was rated more important by Labor voters (84%) and Greens voters (85%) but lower by Liberal/National voters (57%).
- Strengthen environmental protection laws, which was rated more important by Labor voters (84%) and Greens voters (88%).
Population growth, which was rated more important by Liberal/National voters (77%).
Approval of port expansion in Great Barrier Reef
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the decision to allow expansion of the Abbot Point coal port in the Great Barrier Reef?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
||
| Total approve |
17% |
14% |
20% |
4% |
22% |
|
| Total disapprove |
66% |
72% |
59% |
85% |
64% |
|
| Strongly approve |
4% |
3% |
5% |
– |
4% |
|
| Approve |
13% |
11% |
15% |
4% |
18% |
|
| Disapprove |
25% |
23% |
31% |
14% |
20% |
|
| Strongly disapprove |
41% |
49% |
28% |
71% |
44% |
|
| Don’t know |
18% |
14% |
21% |
11% |
14% |
17% approve of the decision to allow expansion of the Abbot Point coal port in the Great Barrier Reef and 66% disapprove.
74% of women disapproved compared to 57% of men.
In Queensland, 24% approve and 57% disapprove.
Oil Leak Near The Kimberley Coast
Q. Thinking about the oil rig off the Kimberley coast which has recently caught fire after leaking oil and gas into the ocean for 10 weeks – do agree or disagree that if the oil spill had occurred near an area like the Great Barrier Reef, the Federal Government would have done much more to prevent damage to the marine environment?
| % | |
| Total agree | 75% |
| Total disagree | 7% |
| Strongly agree | 41% |
| Somewhat agree | 34% |
| Somewhat disagree | 6% |
| Strongly disagree | 1% |
| Don’t know | 17% |
75% of people agree that the Federal Government should have done much more to prevent damage to the marine environment after the recent oil spill off the Kimberley coast.
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