Australians opposed to fossil fuel subsidies
13 October 2013
Australians have voiced strong opposition to taxpayer funded fossil fuel subsidies in a poll conducted by Essential Media for Market Forces. The nationwide survey of 1,007 people found that two-thirds of Australians are opposed to the mining industry’s taxpayer-funded $2 billion a year discount on fuels such as petrol and diesel. It also showed that for every Australian happy to see fossil fuel subsidies increase overall, another four wanted this spending reduced.
Read the Essential Media report on the polling.
Download the raw results of the polling.
Queenslanders lead the opposition to the mining industry’s Fuel Tax Credits
Each year, the mining industry receives a discount on their fuel bills worth $2 billion – courtesy of the taxpayer. 64% of Australians are opposed to this subsidy, with 28% of the population strongly disapproving of it. The strongest opposition to the fuel discount was found in Queensland, with 72% of the state opposed to the measure and a huge 33% (that’s one-third of one of Australia’s largest mining states) strongly disapproving. Queensland also showed the lowest level of support for the subside – only 13% approving of the subsidy.
Across party lines, Greens voters (88%) showed the highest levels of opposition to the mining industry fuel discount and ALP voters the second most opposed (70%). But the majority of Liberal / National Party voters (57%) were also opposed to the subsidy, a quarter of them disapproving strongly.
“It doesn’t matter who you vote for or where you live, chances are you and those close to you are opposed to using taxpayer’s money to encourage the use of fossil fuels”, said Market Forces campaigner Julien Vincent.
“It’s good to see that Queenslanders, who are experiencing more and more of the negative side of the mining boom such as declines in other sectors, mining companies walking away from towns when times get tough and the environmental impacts of new projects, believe that using public money to give the mining industry a discount on their petrol and diesel is a waste of resources.”
Market Forces will be sending the results of the poll to every Federal politician in Australia as we push for the cancellation of fossil fuel subsidies in this year’s budget.
