Your Say survey finds South Australians rank power bills, supply over tackling climate change

SOUTH Australians are abandoning support for tackling climate change by cutting carbon emissions in favour of demanding affordable and reliable electricity supply and developing a renewable energy industry, a substantial Sunday Mail public opinion survey finds.

• 5-minute guide: How SA feels about the issues that matter most

SOUTH Australians are abandoning support for tackling climate change by cutting carbon emissions in favour of demanding affordable and reliable electricity supply and developing a renewable energy industry.

In agenda-setting results on a cornerstone issue for the March state election, more than 3500 respondents overwhelmingly ranked affordability and reliability as the most important components of electricity supply in the Sunday Mail Your Say, SA survey.

Forging a renewable energy industry was also popular among respondents, demonstrating support for solar, wind and batteries.

This indicates a clear public distinction between perceived hip-pocket and job creation benefits of renewable energy and the costs of curbing carbon emissions.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk (left) and SA Premier Jay Weatherill during a press conference at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Friday, July 07, 2017. . (AAP Image/Ben Macmahon)

Both Premier Jay Weatherill and Opposition Leader Steven Marshall have seized upon the results, which provided some support for both of their parties’ signature energy policies.

The online survey, hosted on Advertiser.com.au, found power supply and prices, along with jobs and job security, were overwhelmingly deemed the two biggest issues facing the state.

Respondents across all age groups, life stages and areas ranked reducing carbon emissions as the least important of four choices, behind affordable price, reliable supply and a renewable energy industry.

This represented a stark contrast from a decade ago, when public support for tackling climate change contributed to Kevin Rudd unseating John Howard as prime minister and the newly elected leader declaring climate change “the defining challenge of our generation”.

Support for developing renewable energy was strongest among females and people aged under 25. This indicates likely approval for Mr Weatherill’s decision to link his government with tech giant Elon Musk, whose Tesla firm has installed the world’s largest lithium ion battery near Jamestown.

In the wake of a statewide blackout last year, Mr Weatherill in March announced a $550 million energy plan in a bid to stem electorally disastrous blackouts this summer, centred on the battery to store renewable energy and a government-owned power plant.

Labor’s northern Adelaide heartland was least supportive of reducing carbon emissions, which was most popular in the Liberals’ eastern suburbs stronghold.

Developing a renewable energy industry was most popular among respondents in the eastern and western suburbs.

Mr Weatherill told the Sunday Mail the March election would be a choice between Labor’s plan for energy self-sufficiency, compared to the Liberals plan about privatisation and relying on the eastern states.

“If you want to support cheap, clean and reliable renewable energy with storage — and the jobs that come with it, vote Labor,” he said.

“If you think South Australia should scrap its renewable energy target, privatise our power plant and prop up dirty coal power stations on the east coast, vote for Steven Marshall.”

But Mr Marshall accused Mr Weatherill of using South Australians as guinea pigs in an electricity experiment, causing consumers to pay the nation’s highest prices.

“The state Liberals have a plan to massively reduce household and business bills by investing in greater interconnection with the other states and empowering consumers by encouraging investment in household batteries,” he said.