- Nearly 2000 regional people polled across key renewable energy zones
- Those polled signifi cantly underestimate support for clean energy in their communities: only 37% of local residents believe there is majority support for clean energy in their region, despite an average of 62% actually supporting it.
- Polling of renewable energy zones again shows opposition to local clean energy projects steady at 17%; support at 62%
Polling across key renewable energy zones has found regional people are significantly overestimating opposition to clean energy projects in their communities.
Farmers for Climate Action has released polling from Renewable Energy Zones commissioned by the Renew Australia for All campaign, of which it is a signatory.
The polling of nearly 2000 people across Renewable Energy Zones in New England NSW, Central West Orana NSW, Hunter NSW, Illawarra NSW, Gippsland VIC, Western Victoria, Gladstone QLD and then Central Queensland excluding Gladstone QLD (so as not to measure Gladstone twice) was conducted by 89 Degrees East in the second half of September. The margin for error was 2.11% at a confidence level of 95%.
Key results:
- Those polled underestimate support for clean energy in their communities: 37% of local residents respond that there is majority support for clean energy in their region
- However, a strong majority of 62% across the Renewable Energy Zones polled supports clean energy projects
- Opposition to clean energy projects across the Renewable Energy Zones steady at 17%
SA cattle and sheep farmer Ellen Litchfield said FCA respects the valid concerns of those opposed. “It’s not surprising to see regional people overestimating local support for clean energy, because media and social media focus on opposition,” Ms. Litchfield said. “It’s worth listening to farmers, not Facebook. The quiet majority supports clean energy and a loud minority oppose: 62% of Renewable Energy Zone residents support clean energy projects and 17% oppose. “People opposing clean energy want clean energy projects to be good to nature and local communities, and farmers want that too. Porter Novelli, CSIRO and other previous polling have had really similar results. Despite really negative media coverage and endless bots on Facebook, opposition to clean energy projects has not grown.
We need to support farmers, not fossil fuel billionaires.
“Coal and gas drive climate change; climate change is smashing farmers and sending farm insurance costs through the roof; ending net zero will not end the rollout of clean energy, and nuclear isn’t viable without net zero commitments.
“We’re being hit by hotter and longer droughts in my part of the world and we know that burning coal and gas are what drives climate change. We sell our beef and lamb all over the world and we need net zero to make sure our trading partners continue to have confi dence in Australian produce.
“Farmers are on track to make $1 billion in drought-proof payments from clean energy companies by 2030.
“Scrapping net zero promises would not stop the rollout of clean energy projects, because investors are building clean energy to replace old coal stations being shut by their owners, not for some green dream. Clean energy with storage is the cheapest and fastest form of electricity generation to build in Australia and that’s why investors build it.
“We now have 20 gigawatts worth of solar panels, the equivalent capacity of about 10 coal fired power stations, on city rooftops around Australia. We’re all in this together and we’re all doing our bit.”
Background: The sample sizes are large for the population sizes they measure. The Newspoll which is so widely reported by Australian media uses a sample of 1100 (weighted to match the population) to measure the attitudes of 18,089,986 voters. A sample size of 300 (weighted to match the population) to measure a population size of say 100,000 in a regional area is many times larger by comparison.
Media contact: Les White 0409 805 122 [email protected]
