The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • 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).
  • Feb, 2020

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    Government support for coal-fired power plants

    Q. Which of the following statements regarding the future of coal is closest to your view?

      Total Federal Voting Intention (Lower House)
      Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
    The government should be working to shut down mines and coal-fired power plants as soon as possible 32% 36% 21% 62% 27%
    The government should let the coal mining industry and coal-fired power plants continue operating as long as they are profitable, but not subsidise them or support the expansion of the industry 47% 45% 52% 28% 50%
    The government should subsidise coal-fired power plants to keep them going and provide financial support for new mines and other projects in the coal industry 21% 19% 27% 10% 22%
    Base (n) 1,090 336 390 104 146
    • 47% of participants say that letting the coal mining industry and coal-fired power plants continue operating as long as they are profitable, but not subsidise them or support the expansion of the industry is closest to their view.
    • A third (32%) say working to shut down mines and coal-fired power plants as soon as possible is closest to their view, with Greens voters most likely to select that option (62%).
    • Coalition voters are most likely to say subsidising coal-fired power plants to keep them going and provide financial support for new mines and other projects in the coal industry, is closest to their view (27%).
  • Feb, 2020

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    Attitudes towards coal

    Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about coal?

      NET: Agree NET: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    Improvements in renewable energy will mean that burning coal to generate electricity will become less necessary 75% 14% 43% 32% 8% 6% 11%
    Advances in technology and international action on climate change will mean coal becomes uneconomical to extract in the future 65% 18% 28% 36% 12% 6% 17%
    If we’re serious about dealing with climate change, Australia needs to get out of coal as soon as possible 64% 24% 34% 29% 13% 11% 13%
    Even if Australia stops exporting coal for electricity generation, it should still export coal for steel production 61% 19% 26% 36% 12% 7% 20%
    Rather than digging it all up now, Australia should leave its coal resources in the ground to use when it becomes more valuable in the future 53% 29% 21% 33% 20% 8% 18%

     

    NET: Agree   Age Federal Voting Intention (Lower House)
    Total 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
    Improvements in renewable energy will mean that burning coal to generate electricity will become less necessary 75% 80% 76% 70% 82% 70% 83% 68%
    Advances in technology and international action on climate change will mean coal becomes uneconomical to extract in the future 65% 74% 61% 61% 73% 60% 70% 53%
    If we’re serious about dealing with climate change, Australia needs to get out of coal as soon as possible 64% 75% 65% 52% 72% 54% 87% 49%
    Even if Australia stops exporting coal for electricity generation, it should still export coal for steel production 61% 61% 64% 59% 60% 72% 38% 59%
    Rather than digging it all up now, Australia should leave its coal resources in the ground to use when it becomes more valuable in the future 53% 64% 53% 44% 57% 50% 56% 45%
    Base (n) 1,090 341 374 375 336 390 104 146
    • Three-quarters of participants (75%) agree that improvements in renewable energy will mean that burning coal to generate electricity will become less necessary, 65% agree that advances in technology and international action on climate change will mean coal becomes uneconomical to extract in the future and 64% agree if we’re serious about dealing with climate change, Australia needs to get out of coal as soon as possible.
    • Participants aged 18-34, those with a university education and Greens or Labor voters are more likely to agree with these statements than those over 55, those with a secondary school education and Coalition or other voters (other minor party or independent candidate).
    • Coalition voters are most likely to agree that even if Australia stops exporting coal for electricity generation, it should still export coal for steel production (72%), compared to 38% of Greens voters.
    • Capital city residents are more likely to agree if we’re serious about dealing with climate change, Australia needs to get out of coal as soon as possible (67%) and rather than digging it all up now, Australia should leave its coal resources in the ground to use when it becomes more valuable in the future (56%); than non-capital city residents (56% and 47% respectively).
  • Sep, 2014

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    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

    The environment

    77%

    5%

    8%

    11%

    The economy

    39%

    29%

    14%

    18%

    Jobs

    36%

    25%

    19%

    20%

    Electricity costs

    45%

    19%

    14%

    22%

    Overall, respondents think that renewable energy is better for the environment (77%), electricity costs (45%), the economy (39%) and jobs (36%).

    Older respondents tended to have a slightly more positive view of renewable energy – for those aged 55+, 47% believe renewables are better for the economy.

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