Poll: strong support for ETS in PUP states

In an interesting development a new ReachTEL poll has found more that a vast majority of voters in states that have senate representation from the Palmer United Party (PUP) would support the new Senate negotiating a move to an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), if the carbon price is repealed.

The results are part of a national poll of 3619 residents conducted across those states represented by PUP senators, Tasmania, Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria, a week ago on June 30.

The poll shows that 81 percent of people in the four states would support the move and a majority (51.6 per cent) support of the move happening immediately.

It also shows:

· 83.3 per cent say it’s important that the Government meet its promise to cut carbon emissions of between five and 25 per cent by the year 2020.

·  Four out of five people (79.6 per cent) think it important that the Government takes action to address global warming.

·  Two-thirds (66.4 per cent) prefer a scheme where companies, not taxpayers, pay for emitting carbon pollution.

·  Only 14.1 per cent think that the Renewable Energy Target (RET) should be decreased.

The poll also focussed on Queensland, the home base of PUP founder Clive Palmer, where it revealed that:

• 74.7 per cent of Queenslanders say it’s important that the Government tackles climate change.
• 79.4 per cent of Queenslanders say it’s important that the Government meets its carbon reduction targets.
• 79.0 per cent of Queenslanders say they would support a move to an ETS if the carbon tax is repealed.
• 65 per cent of Queenslanders prefer a polluter pays scheme; only 15.6% support a Government funded scheme.

WWF-Australia National Manager for Climate Change Kellie Caught said the poll provided important information for the new cross bench senators, the majority of whom are in favour of repealing Australia’s carbon price laws.

“We know that PUP senators and Senators Muir and Madigan are still fine-tuning their positions on the fate of carbon pricing in Australia,” Ms Caught said.

“Their votes will be crucial in determining whether Australia will stay on track to meet our promised carbon pollution cuts.

“Without a polluter pays scheme, we are unlikely to even meet our minimum target of five per cent by 2020.

“If the new Senate does not act quickly to support an ETS, Australia will go backwards.”

Ms Caught said the Palmer United Party’s recent pledge to keep the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and oppose changes to the RET would be critical to continue Australia’s shift away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, but that would not be enough to meet our international obligations.

“Analysis shows that a polluter pay scheme will easily achieve a five per cent cut and can be scaled up quickly to meet a stronger cut of 25 per cent by 2020,” she said.

“We welcome the fact that the PUP has said they would support an ETS sometime in the future.

“But if we don’t move to an ETS now, polluting would immediately become free again and carbon pollution would go up, not down.

“The polling shows that PUP Senators and other cross bench senators would have the support of their constituents to negotiate the move to an ETS straight away.

“By negotiating a fair and sensible policy that ensures Australia meets current and future pollution reduction targets, the Palmer United Party and other cross bench senators could go down in history as climate change heroes,” Ms Caught said.

ReachTEL conducted a survey of 3619 residents was conducted across the states of Tasmania (956 sample), Western Australia (892 sample), Queensland (901 sample) and Victoria (880 sample) on June 30.