Essential Research: bushfires, climate change and asylum seekers

A new poll finds respondents clearly of the view that not enough is being done to tackle climate change, but with opinion divided as to whether it appropriate to debate the matter in the context of the bushfire emergency.

The Essential Research poll series continues to chug along on its fortnightly schedule without offering anything on voting intention, with this week’s survey mainly relating to bushfires and climate change. Support for the proposition that Australia is not doing enough to address climate change have reached a new high of 60%, up nine since March, with “doing enough” down five to 22% and “doing too much” down three to 8%.

However, perceptions of climate change itself are little changed, with 61% attributing it to human activity (down one) and 28% opting for “a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate”. On the debate as to whether it was appropriate to raise links between climate change and bushfires, opinion was evenly divided – out of those who considered such a link likely, 43% felt raising the matter appropriate compared with 17% for inappropriate, while another 30% rated the link as unlikely.

A further question related to the issue of medical evacuations for asylum seekers, and here the situation is murkier due to the need to provide respondents with some sort of explanation of what the issue is about. As the Essential survey put it, the relevant legislation allows “doctors, not politicians, more say in determining the appropriate medical
treatment offered to people in offshore detention”. Put like that, 62% were opposed to the government’s move to repeal it, including 25% who believed the legislation didn’t go far enough. That left only 22% in favour of the pro-government proposition that “legislation will weaken our borders and result in boats arriving”.

The poll was conducted Thursday to Sunday from a sample of 1083.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

1,314 comments on “Essential Research: bushfires, climate change and asylum seekers”

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  1. it’s time @ #1192 Friday, November 29th, 2019 – 6:13 pm

    By comparison with rural Indians, you do realise that many Australians live with a solar panel and lead acid battery to provide basic led lighting and to power electronics. It’s called off grid clamping.

    That’s us! We run our whole retreat off solar panels and lead-acid batteries.

    That would be sufficient to raise their standard of living without new coal power stations until distributed renewable power infrastructure rolls out. Add this to non-polluting cooking and Indian standard of living and health would rise significantly and immediately.

    Yup. And it’s cheap as chips – even Australia can manufacture lead-acid batteries.

  2. Firefox

    OK, that makes a lot of things clear. No point arguing with you – the Irish have their own (cough) unique take on matters historical.

  5. By comparison with rural Indians, you do realise that many Australians live with a solar panel and lead acid battery to provide basic led lighting and to power electronics. It’s called off grid clamping.

    Great for lighting, phone charging and other devices. Yet still can be too exe for your average village hut owner. And when you add cooking and fridge… you are talking thousands of dollars.

    There are efforts being made to get renewable power into these villages – either for each house or a hub in the village. But it is a long way to go. At the same time… villages are being connected to the grid at a rapid rate. So they now have the option – connect to the grid at grid prices or invest in a stand alone system. Ideally, a renewable powered grid needs to win that one. So, India needs (and is adding) large scale renewable grid connected generation. India are one of the few countries to be given a HIGH ranking on the climate change performance index.
    https://www.climate-change-performance-index.org/

  7. And Bushfire Bill, you are full of self-serving claptrap. And I’ll leave it at that, other than to say if you had actually monitored when I have and when I have not posted here today you would have realised that what you wrote was garbage. Because I have been away from the blog more than I have been on it, although excuse me if I enjoy having conversations with the people here, as opposed to your method of engagement which is to try and lord it over us with your pronouncements (not that anyone asked for them), from the top of Mt Bushfire.

    Not that I care what you think. I stopped caring a long, long, long time ago when you first showed your true colours.

    And please excuse me if I continue to stand up to sexist tossers like you who think that I am ‘waving my girlish gender at anyone who bites back’ , which is just the biggest dumpster-load of self-serving, self-justifying sexism that I have heard an elderly male come up with recently.

    As I said, you are a pompous blowhard. And endless attempts to humiliate me will never change that, only reinforce that impression to all who have to put up with it here.

  9. Frednk

    E. G. Theodore
    If they can afford a distribution line or a bit of fracking they can afford some batteries.
    Today if the village was in far North Queensland they would get the batteries.

    That’s undoubtedly true in FNQ with a developed nation supply chain and developed nation safety standards.

    Powerlines once built tend to stay there for a while. Insulators need maintainance, but if one is not concerned about safety (as decision makers in developing nations often are not) one can wing it to some extent until something goes wrong. Then when something goes wrong it’s all hands to the pump to fix it… (probably at great cost, but that’s in the future, not now)

    Batteries on the other hand seem to need a more active supply chain to maintain them – unmintained battery systems will rarely ifail completely (necessitating response) but instead just degrade ….

    In developing countries there is a always a statist influence in politics, and this will favour visible powerlines over less visible batteries.

  12. The Westpac propaganda unit is hard at work getting sympathetic media on side:

    ‘One of the most challenging weeks in Westpac’s history’: CEO vows strong action

    In an email to staff Westpac’s new boss Peter King has vowed to deal with the serious problems raised by AUSTRAC as he tries to bring about stability.

    (Nine/Fairfax headline)

  14. Simon
    MY own view is the grid is going to become increasingly important for transport, delivering renewable energy to industrial processes and high density living. If no long makes sense for rural electrification.

    In Australia distributors are going to take less risks on total fire ban days and turn the rural distribution off.

    It is now cheaper to install a battery based system than to get the network to install a SWER transformer.

    You can’t judge any of this on what was sane two years ago. The cost of stand alone systems batteries, solar cells has fallen so rapidly.

  15. Re KJ @5:19. On Bizzaro world, the oceans would pool into inland seas at the centre of each of its six faces, each possibly surrounded by a habitable zone, with ginormous mountains at the corners joined by ridges along the edges, both projecting well into the vacuum of space. It would be six separate worlds – until they are destroyed as the whole thing collapses into a sphere.

  16. https://www.betootaadvocate.com/uncategorized/rfs-overhauls-fire-danger-warning-system/

    “We probably should have put a bit more thought into the old system” admitted NSW RFS Acting Commissioner Rob Rogers.

    “When the second-lowest level is High, it becomes a challenge finding and sorting words that imply ever-increasing levels of panic. We toyed around with “Shitstorm”, but we couldn’t use that because in some cultures Catastrophic is worse than a Shitstorm.”

    “For a while, we were going to use “That time at Engadine McDonald’s in 1997, which is why the background colour is gross, but it was too big to fit on the sign.”

    ““NBN” did fit on the sign but when we took it to a focus group we found that people didn’t associate NBN with speed so it clearly wasn’t urgent enough.”

    “Eventually, we settled on “Clusterfuck” after being inspired by the installation of Sydney’s light rail network.”

    In a statement, Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s office said the new signage was “a great solution to a changing climate, which is not related in any way to climate change”.

  17. Can’t Morrison dream up a bill that in some small way benefits society rather than unions bad, refugees bad, welfare bad etc etc. It’s all so vindictive.

  18. William Bowe @ #1213 Friday, November 29th, 2019 – 7:06 pm

    Perhaps BB and C@t could take this elsewhere.

    As you probably realise, I didn’t start this. Bushfire Bill just landed here with a mouthful of abuse directed towards a slew of posters. I simply would not take it lying down. I know it is extremely distasteful for you to have to put up with it, but what am I supposed to do? Just let it go through to the keeper?

    Your advice would be appreciated.

  20. A Senate inquiry into the Federal Government’s bill to ban cash payments of $10,000 and impose two-year jail sentences for people using cash for purchases above that limit has heard from thousands of stakeholders including businesses that warn the change may actually increase black economy activity rather than fight it.

    Key points:
    The Federal Government is facing major pressure over its proposed bill to ban cash payments of $10,000
    The bulk of thousands of submissions to a Senate inquiry oppose the proposed law, arguing it is unworkable and impinges on civil liberties
    The Liberal Party is also facing disunity within its own ranks because of the proposed law

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-29/cash-ban-law-could-create-criminal-activity-senate-inquiry-told/11751232

  21. In developing countries there is a always a statist influence in politics, and this will favour visible powerlines over less visible batteries.

    Do governments in developing nations regard powerlines as symbolic of man’s ability to generate electricity? Is that why they view them with awe and pride?

  22. Ballantyne @ #1002 Friday, November 29th, 2019 – 12:17 pm

    Firefox @ #984 Friday, November 29th, 2019 – 10:44 am

    Queen on the brink: Her Majesty’s retirement plan that could see King Charles in two years

    QUEEN ELIZABETH II is supposedly giving serious thought of stepping down and handing over the reign to Prince Charles, when she turns 95 in two years time.

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1209789/royal-family-news-queen-elizabeth-ii-prince-charles-prince-andrew-royal-succession

    Oh yay! King Charles! How exciting and inspirational that will be!

    /sarcasm

    Although, having him on the throne should be a big help to the Republic movement.

    There is no way the Queen would “retire” (and the source is the Express – birdcage lining material). She might hand over more duties to Charles – she’s already passed a lot on to various members of the family – but she takes her role as head of the C of E seriously and she gave a vow, oath, whatever thus:

    “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”

    The language is of its time (it was a speech made in South Africa in 1947) but by all accounts she is a woman of deep conviction so I doubt if she’d break that declaration.

    Also the effects of Edward VIII’s abdication affected her family deeply. Her mother always blamed Edward for the death of King George VI – the fact that he smoked about a hundred cigarettes a day had nothing to do with it, of course – but I doubt if the Queen would drag the dreaded word “abdication” into her life. That’s for the continental monarchies, don’t you know. 🙂

    Quite right, Ballantyne.

    Just a brief glance at the history of the Windsors will tell you there’s no chance of Elizabeth abdicating.

    She is an amazing woman to have endured the life that she’s been forced to live by the British people.

    I’ve no doubt she and most of her family would much prefer a life away from ‘Royal duty’ but it’s what the people want and demand of them.

  23. “Can’t Morrison dream up a bill that in some small way benefits society rather than unions bad, refugees bad, welfare bad etc etc.”

    Morrison and his team dream up bills that benefit people and interests that they favour and / or damage or suppress people and interests that they don’t.

  24. Boeing’s big bang:

    Boeing 777X’s fuselage splits apart during stress test

    Boeing got an unexpected jolt in September when engineers in Everett put the new 777X airframe through an extreme test of its structural strength. Just as the test approached its target stress level, an explosive depressurisation tore through the fuselage.

    Boeing has kept the details secret, but photos obtained by the Seattle Times showed the extent of the damage was greater than previously disclosed and earlier reports were wrong about crucial details.

    The test plane is a complete write-off, its fuselage skin ripped wide open just behind the wing. A passenger door that blew out and fell to the factory floor was a secondary impact of the initial rupture, which was located far below the door.

    The relatively good news for Boeing is that because the test failed so explosively at just one percent shy of meeting federal requirements, it will almost certainly not have to do a retest. Regulators will likely allow it to prove by analysis that it’s enough to reinforce the fuselage in the localised area where it failed.

    https://www.traveller.com.au/boeing-777xs-fuselage-splits-apart-during-stress-test-h1k0jn

  26. “I have that Pauline feeling; please explain?”

    I was actually a response to a Kayjay post at 5:19 PM, on the previous page where my iPad was positioned. It showed a picture of Bizzaro World from space – apparently a cubic Earth. However, I discoverd after I posted that this was nearly 2 hours ago and the discussion had moved on several dozen posts since then. I’ve made that mistake a few times.

  28. Steve777 @ #1220 Friday, November 29th, 2019 – 7:10 pm

    On Bizzaro world, the oceans would pool into inland seas at the centre of each of its six faces, each possibly surrounded by a habitable zone, with ginormous mountains at the corners joined by ridges along the edges, both projecting well into the vacuum of space. It would be six separate worlds – until they are destroyed as the whole thing collapses into a sphere.

    Praise Athena – God of science and invention.

    I thank you for your well timed advice. I will aim to spend my afterlife in the Phantom Zone*.

    *The Phantom Zone was a “pocket universe” discovered by Jor-El that existed outside the space-time continuum; it was used on the planet Krypton as a humane method of imprisoning criminals. … Inmates do not age or require sustenance in the Phantom Zone; furthermore, they are telepathic and mutually insubstantial.

    Note. Both Bizarro World and the Phantom Zone are completely denied by the current Gummint despite the overwhelming evidence surrounding us.

    📺🏏 🍹 (Creaming Soda).

    Time, space and pages don’t exist on Poll Bludger…..♡

  29. Firefox says:
    Friday, November 29, 2019 at 12:41 pm

    …”Also in India…

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telangana_II_Solar_Power_Plant

    Now that’s what we need to see much more of!”…

    Way ahead of you:

    https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-19/mega-solar-farm-planned-for-gympie-qld/8451774

    Compared:
    18 MW = 800MW
    18,000 people = 315,000 people
    16 hectares = 1,700 hectares
    0.0000001% of India’s power = 15% of Queensland’s power

    How is it possible for you to be aware of something so insignificant in a foreign country and yet remain ignorant of a behemoth in your own backyard?

  32. The Adani Mine issue was settled by Australian electors at the last election.

    They killed Bill.
    They gave the Greens 10% of their attention span.
    And they re-elected a Government that was open and emphatic about supporting the Adani mine.

    All the pros and cons since are about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin: irrelevant then and irrelevant now.

  33. Theodore..

    Even in developing countries, economics will usually dictate that you don’t go out and invent something new – you simply use what is available on the market and that market is dominated by the supply chain feeding developed countries.

    In other words, if you have limited solar power you’re going to use it to charge off the shelf stuff that includes its own batteries. Lights, phones etc. The biggest issue is actually cooking fuel and that’s where there needs to be gains in terms of providing carbon neutral fuels. And that’s a big subject in its own right.

    Now if you’re talking about batteries for micro grids then there are plenty of “battery in a box ” products and I think India is developing its own brands. You don’t need to know what goes on inside the box – it just works.

    Going back to one of your original premises. Even if you had a source of non-conventional gas, its going to cost quite a bit of money to produce it. And that’s not really economic if you’re only using the gas for short periods. If you do have a micro grid and you need backup, then your choice is between “battery in a box” solutions and a conventional diesel generator. Fuel costs (and storage space) are not really an issue if its just there as a backup.

  35. “Bellwether says:
    Friday, November 29, 2019 at 7:46 pm
    Citizen
    Would that 777 be full carbon fibre construction do you know?”

    Sorry, I’m not a technical person. However searching on “boeing 777x” gives a list of references including by Wikipedia and Boeing itself.

  36. Oh me, oh my, I don’t think I should post this (but I will nevertheless): apparently, and anecdotally via the trailer park soirée, it seems that “Gerrad”, in the urban dictionary, means the “dumbest mother fucker” – I can’t believe I’ve posted this(?)! In any event, it can be taken two ways: either Fuller named the operation into the complaint to belittle Dreyfus or Taylor’s such a wonker, in the eye of the commissioner, he’s deemed it expedient to all but to dismiss it. Fuller, who was seen shortly after his appointment on SkyNews nodding in agreement with Jones, is little doubt a Tory sympathiser. The result of the Taylor investigation will be keenly analysed.

  37. ‘Cud Chewer says:
    Friday, November 29, 2019 at 8:17 pm

    Theodore..

    Even in developing countries, economics will usually dictate that you…’

    A key variable is the level of corruption.

  38. Incidentally many years ago I stayed on a farm in upstate New York. What was interesting about this place was that it came with its own gas well. Indeed the geology was so favourable for easy gas extraction that the underground water also tasted yuck (sulphurous).

    The upside was you could crank up the furnace (gas powered) and you’d be toasty and warm and it’d be snowing outside and it wouldn’t matter if there was a window open. Yeah I know very naughty.

  39. How can a soul as beautiful as C@tmomma coexist with a blog that has personal abuse on it? It’s a conundrum that may never be resolved.
    ———————————————-
    I just vomited.

  40. nath

    How can a soul as beautiful as C@tmomma coexist with a blog that has personal abuse on it? It’s a conundrum that may never be resolved.
    ———————————————-
    I just vomited.

    Did your laptop survive ? It took quite a beating.

  42. Oopsie!

    Alleged Chinese spy target pictured in Gladys Liu’s home

    Nick Zhao, who reported the inducement to ASIO and was later found dead, attended a local Liberal meeting at Gladys Liu’s house.

    1 hour ago by Paul Sakkal and Nick McKenzie (Nine/Fairfax headline)

  43. “How is it possible for you to be aware of something so insignificant in a foreign country and yet remain ignorant of a behemoth in your own backyard?”

    ***

    Huh? We were talking about energy in India. I’m aware that there are solar farms in Australia. I was saying that we need to see more of them. All over the world. Whats the problem with that?

  44. Quasar@5.05 pm:

    Thank you.

    It is something that I wondered about, but apparently not something that anyone else has. It just seemed an area (to my non legal mind), that was worth asking about.

    Any way, back to the cricket now that “tea”, “dinner”or whatever is finished.

  45. https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/multibillion-dollar-central-precinct-plans-could-see-vast-expansion-to-sydney-cbd/news-story/cba99123bb7db2233c2471fa96bb7516

    The Greens have several MPs in the vicinity of the development. The party’s spokesman on planning and heritage issues, Jamie Parker, said there was a conspicuous absence in the plans.

    He said the site hadn’t been “future proofed” for high speed rail which he noted wasn’t mentioned once in the plans.

    According to various proposals over the years, Central would be a vital cog in any high speed rail network and it would be vital to preserve space at the station for future services.

    Well, actually, Central Station is no needed for a HSR network. In fact its a bad idea to have a HSR terminus at Central.

    Question to the Greens people. How does one go about communicating with a Greens MP such as Jamie Parker in order to explain this?

  46. Backburning now occurring along a 6km front less than 2km from our property. We trust the RFS knows what they’re doing, and also that there are no “pro-coal” Labor party idiots in the crew. They would no doubt just light it up and let it burn, since on a global scale our bush fires would be of no significance whatsoever 🙁

  48. citizen

    “ Alleged Chinese spy target pictured in Gladys Liu’s home

    Nick Zhao, who reported the inducement to ASIO and was later found dead, attended a local Liberal meeting at Gladys Liu’s house.”
    ———————

    It would be hilarious if Gladys Liu turns out to be, like M in James Bond, the head of the whole Chinese spy network for the whole of Australia. 🙂

  49. “ We trust the RFS knows what they’re doing, and also that there are no “pro-coal” Labor party idiots in the crew. ”

    What fresh idiocy is this?

    Hoping that the pyromaniacs in the RFS know what they are doing, whilst simultaneously obsessing about the attitudes to coal amongst the imagined labor party supporters in the crew.

    You are doomed P1

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