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).
Government spending on energy sources
Q To what extent would you support or oppose the Government spending taxpayers’ money to research the following energy sources?
| NET: Support | NET: Oppose | Strongly support | Somewhat support | Neither support nor oppose | Somewhat oppose | Strongly oppose | |
| Renewables (such as large-scale solar or wind farms) | 71% | 12% | 45% | 27% | 16% | 7% | 5% |
| Hydrogen technology | 57% | 10% | 24% | 33% | 32% | 7% | 3% |
| Clean coal | 50% | 23% | 20% | 29% | 28% | 11% | 11% |
| Nuclear | 38% | 35% | 17% | 21% | 27% | 15% | 20% |
| Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | Location | ||||||||||
| NET: Support | Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | Capital City | Non-Capital City | |
| Renewables (such as large-
scale solar or wind farms) |
71% | 71% | 72% | 74% | 69% | 72% | 78% | 66% | 95% | 63% | 74% | 67% | |
| Hydrogen technology | 57% | 65% | 51% | 53% | 52% | 66% | 58% | 61% | 63% | 54% | 59% | 53% | |
| Clean coal | 50% | 50% | 50% | 49% | 44% | 56% | 43% | 64% | 28% | 48% | 51% | 47% | |
| Nuclear | 38% | 47% | 30% | 32% | 34% | 47% | 34% | 50% | 25% | 37% | 39% | 36% | |
- 71% of participants support the Government spending taxpayers’ money to research renewables, compared to 50% support for clean coal.
- Support for research into renewables is higher in capital cities (74%) than non-capital cities (67%), and higher among Greens voters (95%) than all other voters (63%).
- Coalition voters are most likely to support research into clean coal (64%) and nuclear power (50%) whereas Greens voters are least likely to support those energy sources (28% and 25% respectively).
- Men tend to support research into hydrogen technology (65%) and nuclear (47%) more than women (51% and 30% respectively).
- Participants over 55 years are more likely to support research into hydrogen technology (66%), clean coal (56%) or nuclear (47%) than those aged 18-54 (52%, 46% and 33% respectively).
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.
South Australian battery
Q. It was recently announced by the South Australian government that technology company Tesla will construct the “world’s largest battery” in South Australia. The battery will store wind energy to be used in high-demand periods, with the aim of increasing the reliability of the South Australian energy grid. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| Total good idea | 73% | 79% | 70% | 82% | 69% | |
| Total bad idea | 5% | 1% | 8% | 1% | 11% | |
| Very good idea | 42% | 48% | 40% | 46% | 39% | |
| Good idea | 31% | 31% | 30% | 36% | 30% | |
| Neither god nor bad idea | 14% | 12% | 14% | 13% | 14% | |
| Bad idea | 2% | 1% | 3% | 1% | 5% | |
| Very bad idea | 3% | <1% | 5% | – | 6% | |
| Don’t know | 8% | 8% | 7% | 3% | 6% |
73% agree that the construction of the battery in South Australia is a good idea and 5% think it is a bad idea. Those most likely to think it is a good idea were Greens voters (82%), Labor voters (79%) and university educated (79%).
65% of South Australian respondents think it is a good idea, 8% think it is a bad idea and 22% think it is neither. (note – small sample)
Coal vs renewables
Q. Which of the following statements is closest to your view?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote Other |
||
|
Governments should prioritise support for the coal industry over the renewable energy industry |
6% |
3% |
14% |
– |
2% |
|
|
Government should prioritise support for the renewable energy industry over the coal industry |
50% |
56% |
39% |
89% |
56% |
|
|
The Government should treat both industries equally |
28% |
28% |
35% |
5% |
34% |
|
|
Don’t know |
15% |
13% |
12% |
6% |
8% |
50% of respondents agree more with the statement that the Government should prioritise support for the renewable energy industry over the coal industry and only 6% think they should prioritise coal over renewables. 28% think they should treat both industries equally.
Those most likely to think the Government should give priority to renewable energy were Greens voters (89%) and respondents with university education (59%).
Coal vs renewables – Government priorities
Q. And which of the following statements do you think is closer to the Federal Government’s current position?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote Other |
||
|
The Government prioritises the coal industry over the renewable energy industry |
49% |
59% |
38% |
81% |
51% |
|
|
The Government prioritises the renewable energy industry over the coal industry |
12% |
10% |
16% |
10% |
8% |
|
|
The Government treats both industries equally |
13% |
9% |
20% |
– |
18% |
|
|
Don’t know |
27% |
23% |
26% |
9% |
23% |
49% of respondents agree more with the statement that the Government prioritises the coal industry over the renewable energy industry and only 12% think they prioritise the renewable energy industry over the coal industry. 13% think they treat both industries equally.
Those most likely to think the Government prioritises the coal industry were Greens voters (81%) and Labor voters (59%).
Government support for energy industries
Q. Do you think the Federal Government gives enough or not enough support to the following?
|
Gives enough support |
Does not give enough support |
Don’t know |
|
|
The coal industry |
60% |
12% |
28% |
|
Wind farms |
18% |
56% |
25% |
|
Large scale solar |
15% |
55% |
30% |
|
Roof top solar |
21% |
57% |
22% |
60% think that the Federal Government gives enough support to the coal industry and a majority think they do not give enough support to roof top solar (57%), wind farms (56%) or large scale solar (55%).
A majority of all voter groups think the Government gives enough support to the coal industry.
A large majority of Labor and Greens voters think the Government does not give enough support to roof top solar (Labor 67%/Greens 79%), wind farms (71%/86%) or large scale solar (66%/82%).
Liberal/National voters were more divided but were more likely to think the Government does not give enough support to large scale solar (26% enough/42% not enough), roof top solar (33%/43%) or wind farms (34%/39%).
Renewables vs fossil fuels
Q. As far as you know, which energy source – renewable energy like solar and wind OR fossil fuels like coal and gas – is better for each of the following?
|
Renewable energy better |
Fossil fuels better |
No difference |
Don’t know |
Sep 2014 Renewable |
Sep 2014 Fossil fuels |
||
|
The environment |
69% |
5% |
9% |
17% |
77% |
5% |
|
|
Electricity costs |
47% |
18% |
11% |
24% |
45% |
19% |
|
|
The economy |
42% |
20% |
11% |
26% |
39% |
29% |
|
|
Jobs |
37% |
20% |
16% |
27% |
36% |
25% |
Overall, respondents think that renewable energy is better for the environment (69%), electricity costs (47%), the economy (42%) and jobs (37%). Since this question was asked in September, main changes are a decline for renewables being better for the environment (from 77% to 69%) and a decline for fossil fuels being better for the economy (from 29% to 20%).
There were few substantial differences across demographic groups – other than for electricity costs where 52% of women think renewables are better compared to 41% of men.
Liberal/National voters were more likely to think fossil fuels are better for jobs (30%).
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
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- 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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