New polling of seven electorates belonging to senior Cabinet Ministers, including the Prime Minister, reveals strong opposition to a federal subsidised loan for Adani’s coal project, and support for instituting a moratorium on new coal mines.

The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to conduct surveys of 4,712 Australian residents across the electorates of Wentworth (Turnbull), Cook (Morrison), Curtin (Bishop), Dickson (Dutton), Flinders (Hunt), Kooyong (Frydenberg) and Sturt (Pyne) on the 8th of June 2017.

Respondents were asked if they supported or opposed the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) giving Adani a one billion dollar subsidised loan for its coal rail line. 17-28% supported the idea while 51-70% opposed it.

“Despite a push by some conservatives for coal subsidy polices, these results – in key blue-ribbon Liberal seats – show strong opposition to that very idea,” Executive Director of The Australia Institute, Ben Oquist said.

“It makes sense that the Liberal Party base would be so opposed to the idea of spending taxpayers’ money on subsidies for an industry as well established as coal mining.

“What makes less sense is the idea Ministers who represent those seats, who believe in free markets and small government principles would ignore both the politics and economics when it comes to Adani.

“When asked more broadly about the idea of taxpayer subsidies for Adani, the opposition was even higher.”

Do you support or oppose taxpayer subsidies going towards the Adani Carmichael mine project in northern Queensland?

In every electorate, more people supported a moratorium on new coal mines than opposed the proposal. 51% of the Prime Minister’s constituents support the idea with 31% opposed.

“These results show that Malcolm Turnbull should be confident in staring down the pro-coal faction in his party room,” Oquist said.