carbon pollution, Carbon Pricing, carbon pricing scheme, Carbon Tax, EMC, ER, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s recent announcement to introduce a carbon pricing scheme from 1 July 2012, which will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 35% | 54% | 18% | 75% |
| Total oppose | 48% | 25% | 72% | 13% |
| Strongly support | 9% | 16% | 2% | 34% |
| Support | 26% | 38% | 16% | 41% |
| Oppose | 19% | 13% | 24% | 10% |
| Strongly oppose | 29% | 12% | 48% | 3% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 21% | 9% | 11% |
35% support the Government’s recent announcement to introduce a carbon pricing scheme and 48% oppose. The scheme is strongly supported by Greens voters (75%) and has majority support from Labor voters (54%) but is strongly opposed by Coalition voters (72%).
Respondents aged under 35 were split 36% support/37% oppose while those aged 55+ were more strongly opposed (36% support/56% oppose).
carbon, carbon pollution, Carbon Tax, EMC, ER, Essential Report, Greens, Julia Gillard, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, PM, Polling, polls, Prime Minister
Q. Tony Abbott and the opposition claim this is a ‘backflip’ on a promise Prime Minister Gillard made before the 2010 election not to introduce a carbon tax in the next term of parliament. Which of the following statements is closest to your view:
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| The Prime Minister has broken an election promise and should wait until after the next election before introducing a carbon pollution tax | 59% | 33% | 86% | 26% |
| The Prime Minister is showing strong leadership on an issue of national importance | 27% | 51% | 7% | 67% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 16% | 7% | 7% |
59% agree are more likely to think that the Prime Minister has broken an election promise and should wait until after the next election before introducing a carbon pollution tax and 27% believe she is showing strong leadership on an issue of national importance.
Opinions are strongly related to voting intention although a substantial minority (33%) of Labor voters agree that the Prime Minister has broken an election promise and should wait.
carbon pollution, Carbon Tax, Carbon Tax Compensation, compensating households, EMC, ER, Essential Report, Polling, polls
Q. It is expected that a tax on carbon pollution will increase the cost of electricity. Which of the following do you think should receive compensation for this increased cost?
| Should receive compensation | Should not receive compensation | Don’t know | |
| Low income households | 84% | 8% | 8% |
| Farmers | 74% | 13% | 13% |
| Small business owners | 70% | 14% | 15% |
| All households | 70% | 16% | 14% |
| Trade exposed industries | 28% | 44% | 29% |
| Manufacturing industries | 26% | 51% | 23% |
| The aluminium industry | 18% | 56% | 26% |
| Power companies | 15% | 68% | 17% |
There was strong majority support for compensating households (especially low income households), farmers and small businesses.
Support for compensating companies and industries was relatively low. A little over one quarter think trade exposed and manufacturing industries should be compensated and only 15% think power companies should be compensated.
Although all voter groups showed similar support for compensating low income families, Coalition voters showed stronger support for compensation for all other groups – for example, 78% of Coalition voters thought all households should be compensated compared to 65% of Labor voters and 51% of Greens voters.