EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE AT NEXT ELECTION

• Almost two thirds (61%) of voters in the key New South Wales seats of Bennelong, Parramatta and Lindsay say climate change will affect their vote at the next Federal election, around one-third (35%) feel it will have no effect and virtually no-one (4%) will vote to oppose it. This was almost exactly in line with results across all the marginal seats studied.
• Importantly it will also influence the vote of 58% of Swing voters, with 36% claiming no effect and only 7% voting to oppose it.
• NSW Green voters provide the strongest support (83%), but Coalition provide the weakest (51%).

BETTER PARTY FOR MANAGING CLIMATE CHANGE

• Labor is ahead as the better party for managing climate change (39% vs. 22%), but a high proportion believing both parties are the same (39%).
• Swinging voters in the NSW marginals are very likely to believe both parties are the same (65%) and those with an opinion were somewhat more likely to favour Labor (22% vs. 13%).
• Labor rates better on climate change among its own supporters (73%) than the Coalition does among its own voters (63%).

EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENT AT PREVIOUS ELECTIONS

• Just under half of voters in the NSW marginals (48%) claim that environmental issues affected their vote at previous elections, while very few people voted to oppose environmental issues (4%) and this is still a strong factor among Swinging voters (44%).
•  Very few people voted to oppose environmental issues (3%) and support was strongest among safe Labor voters (53%) but weakest among safe Coalition voters (38%).

SUPPORT FOR ENVIRONMENT AT PREVIOUS ELECTIONS AND FOR CLIMATE CHANGE NOW

• Climate change is likely to be a more important issue for at the forthcoming election than environmental issues have been at previous elections.
• Overall, 48% of voters in these key NSW seats previously voted to support environmental issues, while 61% will vote to support climate change at the next Federal election.
• This difference remains strong among swinging voters, with 44% having previously voted to support environmental issues and 58% planning to vote to support climate change.
• There is also a strong rise among Labor voters (53% to 69%) and among men (43% to 56%).

SPEED OF ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

• Just under half of respondents in these key NSW seats believe Australia should move quickly on climate change even if it has a short term impact on the economy while only 36% believe Australia should move slowly on climate change to avoid short term damage to the economy.
• Almost half (48%) believe Australia should move quickly on climate change while only 36% believe Australia should move slowly to avoid short term damage to the economy.
• Coalition voters were clearly the most likely to believe Australia should move slowly (61%), with Labor supporters believing Australia should move quickly (62%) and the Greens also believing in rapid action (76%).

CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES - UNDERSTANDING OF

• Most voters feel they understand what it means for Australia to set greenhouse pollution reduction targets within the next five years (84%) and for "all new electricity to come from clean energy" (85%)
• These were fairly consistent among the Labor and Coalition voters
• Understanding was lower among Swinging voters (75%)

• There is consistent support for greenhouse pollution reduction targets (84%) and all new energy to come from clean energy (77%).
• Support is strongest for these policies among Labor voters (targets - 91% and clean energy - 84%).
• Critically it is still strong among Coalition supporters (83% & 73%) and fairly strong among Swinging voters (76% & 71%).

• Setting targets to reduce greenhouse pollution within the next five years, which will influence 61% of all NSW voters and 57% of Swinging voters
• Ensuring all new electricity comes from clean energy, which will influence 61% of all voters and 55% of Swinging voters.
• Importantly, there is still a large block of people who are not opposed to these policies, but rather have no opinion about them. Among Swinging voters, 34% are undecided about clean energy and 30% are unsure about pollution reduction targets.
• Even around half of Coalition NSW voters will be influenced by targets (49%) and new clean energy (48%).