Q. The Federal Government has proposed a target of 26-28% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. The Climate Change Authority has recommended a 40-60% reduction by 2030. Which proposal do you favour most?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
||
|
Liberal Government’s 26-28% reduction |
23% |
12% |
43% |
5% |
17% |
|
|
Climate Change Authority’s 40-60% reduction |
50% |
65% |
27% |
89% |
57% |
|
|
Don’t need to reduce carbon emissions |
10% |
6% |
17% |
2% |
13% |
|
|
Don’t know |
17% |
16% |
13% |
4% |
14% |
50% favour the Climate Change Authority’s recommendation of a 40-60% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and 23% favour the Liberal Government’s 26-28% reduction target.
The Climate Change Authority’s recommendation has highest support from Greens voters (89%), Labor voters (65%), aged 18-24 (68%) and university educated (58%).
Carbon emissions, climate change
Q. Australia’s current target to reduce its carbon emissions is a 5% reduction on our 2000 level of emissions by 2020. The Climate Change Authority recently recommended that, because of commitments by other countries, Australia’s target should be 30% below our 2000 level of emissions by 2025. Should Australia:
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| Retain its current target of 5% | 18% | 10% | 34% | 3% | 16% | |
| Move to a higher target, such as 10% | 25% | 24% | 28% | 18% | 30% | |
| Move to the recommended target of 30% | 34% | 43% | 17% | 72% | 30% | |
| Not have any target | 7% | 6% | 10% | 2% | 9% | |
| Don’t know | 16% | 17% | 11% | 4% | 15% |
Only 18% think that Australia should retain its current target of 5% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020. 34% think that Australia should move to the recommended target of 30% and 25% think we should move to a higher target such as 10%.
43% of Labor voters and 72% of Greens voters think Australia should move to the 30% target. 34% of Liberal/National voters think Australia should keep the current 5% target while 45% think it should be higher.
Carbon emissions, carbon pollution, Carbon Tax, environment, Greens, Labor, Liberals, Nationals, Polling, polls, Pollution
Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s carbon pricing scheme which, from July 2012, will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?
| 7 March | 18 April | 23 May | 14 June | 18 July | 1 Aug | 19 Sep | 17 Oct | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 35% | 39% | 41% | 38% | 39% | 39% | 37% | 39% | 38% | 66% | 13% | 86% |
| Total oppose | 48% | 49% | 44% | 49% | 49% | 51% | 52% | 53% | 53% | 26% | 80% | 11% |
| Strongly support | 9% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 28% | 1% | 48% |
| Support | 26% | 26% | 27% | 25% | 24% | 24% | 23% | 25% | 24% | 38% | 12% | 38% |
| Oppose | 19% | 15% | 15% | 19% | 16% | 19% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 11% | 22% | 5% |
| Strongly oppose | 29% | 34% | 29% | 30% | 33% | 32% | 35% | 36% | 36% | 15% | 58% | 6% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 12% | 15% | 13% | 12% | 10% | 12% | 9% | 10% | 9% | 7% | 2% |
Views on the carbon pricing scheme have changed very little since June and there has been no significant change since the legislation was passed. 38% support the scheme (down 1% since October) and 53% oppose (no change).
The only demographic group to support the scheme were aged under 35’s – 45% support/40% oppose. Among those aged 55+, 37% support and 59% oppose.
Carbon emissions, carbon pollution, Carbon Tax, electricity, electricity costs, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Polling, polls, renewable energy
Q. Thinking about the proposed carbon tax, do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
| Total agree | Total disagree | Strongly agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | |
| A carbon tax will substantially increase the cost of electricity | 79% | 8% | 47% | 32% | 6% | 2% | 13% |
| The cost of electricity will increase substantially even without a carbon tax | 78% | 11% | 26% | 52% | 10% | 1% | 11% |
| A carbon tax is an effective way to force large polluting companies to reduce their carbon pollution | 42% | 43% | 13% | 29% | 21% | 22% | 14% |
| A carbon tax will increase investment in renewable energy | 41% | 38% | 14% | 27% | 20% | 18% | 22% |
79% agree that a carbon tax will substantially increase the cost of electricity but 78% agree that the cost of electricity will increase substantially even without a carbon tax.
Respondents were evenly divided over whether a carbon tax is an effective way to force large polluting companies to reduce their carbon pollution (42% agreer/43% disagree) and whether a carbon tax will increase investment in renewable energy (41% agree/38% disagree).
Males (84%) were more likely than females (74%) to agree or strongly agree that ‘a carbon tax will substantially increase the costs of electricity.’
Females (53%) were more likely than males (41%) to agree or strongly agree that ‘a carbon tax is an effective way to force large polluting companies to reduce their carbon pollution.’
carbon, Carbon emissions, carbon pollution, carbon pollution tax, carbon pricing system, Carbon Tax, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Network Ten, Polling, polls
Q. Do you think Australia should delay imposing a carbon pollution tax until the US has established an equal or stronger carbon pricing system? (Question commissioned by Network Ten)
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Men | Women | Aged
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | |
| Yes | 45% | 33% | 62% | 13% | 51% | 40% | 34% | 47% | 56% |
| No | 33% | 47% | 21% | 71% | 34% | 33% | 40% | 31% | 29% |
| Don’t know | 21% | 20% | 17% | 16% | 15% | 27% | 25% | 22% | 15% |
45% of respondents think Australia should delay imposing a carbon pollution tax until the US has established an equal or stronger carbon pricing system and 33% think we should not delay.
Those most likely to think Australia should delay imposing a carbon pollution tax were Coalition voters (62%), men (51%) and aged 55+ (56%).
Those most likely to disagree were Greens voters (71%), Labor voters (47%) and aged 18-34 (40%).
Download the Network Ten: Essential Question of the Week (1.1 MB pdf)