Federal election 2019: YouGov poll shows backlash to anti-Adani convoy

An exclusive poll has found the effects of Bob Brown’s anti-Adani convoy on the voting intentions of regional Queenslanders.

THE Greens have been whacked by a Bob Brown backlash after Queensland voters were left repelled by their anti-Adani convoy.

An exclusive YouGov Galaxy poll reveals more than one-third of voters are now less likely to vote Green because of the blow-in protesters trying to stop Queenslanders from getting much-needed jobs.

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LNP tacticians believe the Greens have scored an own-goal for themselves and Labor, and have helped Coalition marginal seat-holders in Flynn, Capricornia and Dawson.

It is understood the flashpoint has also helped the LNP’s candidate Phil Thompson in Herbert, which is held by Labor’s Cathy O’Toole, who won in 2016 by just 37 votes.

The survey of 848 respondents on May 8 and 9 was taken weeks after protesters drove to Clermont, ground zero for the activism and the closest community to the Adani mine.

Dr Brown and Greens Leader Richard Di Natale rolled into Queensland in late April but soon after had to distance themselves from supporters, who described Queenslanders as “red necks” and compared coal miners to Nazis who worked in gas chambers.

A number of Clermont residents also banded together to launch a protest against the protesters, with several businesses refusing to serve the out-of-town activists.

Asked if the protests made them more likely, less likely or would have no influence on their support for the Greens, 34 per cent of respondents said they were now less likely to vote for the minor party.

Of those, 12 per cent were Labor voters, potentially raising new challenges for Queensland Greens senator Larissa Waters, who will need preferences to get over the line on Saturday.

Senator Waters will face stiff competition with One Nation and Clive Palmer.

Forty-six per cent of respondents said it would not influence their vote, and 12 per cent said they were more likely to now vote for the Greens.

Nineteen per cent of Labor voters said they were more likely to park their vote for the environmental party after the convoy.

The results shed light on how some voters may distribute their preferences.

The Australian yesterday published a marginal-seat poll showing the LNP was ahead in two-party-preferred terms in Herbert, 52 to 48 per cent.

In April, the same poll had Labor ahead 48-52 on a two-party-preferred basis.

Earlier in the campaign, Labor was confident of holding on to Flynn but after the convoy became less confident it could snaffle the seat from incumbent Ken O’Dowd.

Activist and former Greens leader Bob Brown addresses the anti-Adani convoy outside Parliament House in Canberra.