Essential Report
Views towards Great Barrier Reef being in danger of long-term damage
Q. As you may be aware, the Great Barrier Reef is a UN world heritage site. The UN’s educational, scientific and cultural organisation (UNESCO) recently recommended that the Great Barrier Reef should be put on its list of places that are “in danger”.
Do you think the Great Barrier Reef is in danger of long-term damage?
Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
Yes definitely | 46% | 44% | 48% | 50% | 47% | 42% | 56% | 33% | 69% | 43% |
Yes probably | 31% | 31% | 30% | 31% | 32% | 29% | 30% | 36% | 24% | 29% |
Probably not | 9% | 9% | 8% | 8% | 6% | 12% | 5% | 12% | 3% | 11% |
Definitely not | 4% | 5% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 9% | 2% | 8% | 0% | 8% |
Unsure | 10% | 10% | 10% | 9% | 13% | 8% | 7% | 10% | 5% | 9% |
TOTAL: Yes definitely + Yes probably | 77% | 75% | 78% | 81% | 79% | 71% | 87% | 70% | 93% | 72% |
TOTAL: Probably not + Definitely not | 13% | 14% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 21% | 6% | 21% | 3% | 19% |
Base (n) | 1,098 | 537 | 561 | 341 | 372 | 385 | 371 | 402 | 90 | 128 |
State | |||||
NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | |
Yes definitely | 47% | 49% | 40% | 56% | 37% |
Yes probably | 30% | 28% | 31% | 29% | 39% |
Probably not | 8% | 8% | 11% | 5% | 12% |
Definitely not | 5% | 3% | 9% | 1% | 3% |
Unsure | 11% | 11% | 9% | 9% | 8% |
TOTAL: Yes definitely + Yes probably | 77% | 78% | 71% | 85% | 77% |
TOTAL: Probably not + Definitely not | 13% | 11% | 20% | 6% | 15% |
Base (n) | 352 | 276 | 220 | 86 | 111 |
- The majority of people think the Great Barrier Reef is in danger, with 46% saying it definitely is and 31% saying it probably is.
- Those most likely to think the reef is in danger include those aged 18-34 (81%), Greens voters (93%) and Labor voters (87%)

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