Share

New polling shows that more than twice as many Australians (56%) support moratoriums on fracking as oppose them (20%), despite concerted lobbying from the gas industry to allow them further access to land.

The poll, conducted by The Australia Institute, asked respondents if they support or oppose state bans on fracking.

Question: Some states and territories have put in place bans on new unconventional gas extraction, including hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’) for coal seam gas. Do you support or oppose these bans?

	Total	M	F	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA
Total support	56%	56%	57%	59%	53%	58%	54%	52%
Total oppose	20%	29%	12%	18%	23%	22%	17%	21%
Strongly support	23%	24%	22%	24%	19%	26%	26%	26%
Support	33%	31%	34%	36%	34%	32%	28%	27%
Oppose	14%	20%	9%	13%	15%	16%	10%	15%
Strongly oppose	6%	9%	3%	5%	8%	6%	6%	6%
Don’t know	24%	15%	31%	22%	23%	20%	29%	27%

From 17 March to 24 March 2017, The Australia Institute conducted a national poll of 1420 people through Research Now using representative samples by gender, age and state or territory. Polling brief in attachment below.

The results were consistent across Australian states and had higher support than opposition from voters for every party.

Previous polling showed similar results with the support for fracking bans maintaining or slightly strengthening.

“It makes good political sense that the Prime Minister is pursuing export controls rather than taking up the gas industry’s demand for yet more gas drilling,” Deputy Director of The Australia Institute, Ebony Bennett said.

“The moratoriums on fracking followed a huge groundswell of community pressure, led by farmers concerned about the health of their land and water supplies.

“With new reports showing that migratory and fugitive emission from the gas exploration could far exceed current measurement, the impact of gas as a powerful greenhouse gas is also a growing concern.”

— Migratory emissions report —

“Opening up more land to fracking is not about reducing energy prices for consumers, but about maximising the profits of the gas industry

“Driving up gas prices and gas industry profits has been the objective of the gas industry for the last ten years. The current gas crisis and high gas prices are not an unintended consequence, but the result of linking Australia to the international gas market,” Ms Bennett said.