NSW Election 2023: Polling shows Liberals in danger of losing Pittwater

Climate change is the top issue for voters living in the northern beaches electorate of Pittwater, where a new poll has put the teal independent just ahead of the Liberals in the prized Coalition seat.

Liberal candidate for Pittwater Rory Amon has accused Climate 200 of ‘push polling’. Picture: Supplied

Climate change is the No.1 issue among voters living in Sydney’s northern coastal electorate of Pittwater, where a new poll has put the Teal independent just ahead of the Liberals in the prized Coalition seat.

While cost of living is the key issue across Sydney, a Simon Holmes a Court ­Climate 200 poll has shown ­environmental concerns rule in the peninsular seat.

Held by senior Perrottet government minister Rob Stokes — and once held by former Liberal leader John Brogden — the seat is one the Coalition needs to retain to secure a historic fourth term.

But the latest poll suggests the formerly safe Liberal seat with its 22.4 per cent margin could suffer a similar fate to that of the federal seat of Mackellar, which encompasses Pittwater. Last year Teal Dr Sophie Scamps seized it from Morrison government MP Jason Falinski.

Conducted between February 20-26, the poll of almost 700 Pittwater residents found Teal independent Jacqui Scruby ahead of Liberal lawyer Rory Amon on a two-party preferred basis by 50.7 per cent to 49.3 per cent.

A new poll shows teal independent community candidate Jacqui Scruby is leading the race for Pittwater. Picture: Facebook

Across first preferences, Mr Amon had 34.3 per cent of votes, Ms Scruby 28.5 per cent, Labor 11.2 per cent and Greens 6.4 per cent, with the remainder not intending to vote or backing another minor party. More than 20 per cent of respondents said climate change was the most important issue to them in deciding who to vote for, with just under 20 per cent nominating “the economy”.

A little over 14 per cent indicated “corruption and ­integrity in politics” to be the most important issue. Only about 11 per cent cited cost of living and just under 10 per cent nominated health and aged care as a key concern.

Overdevelopment was the key factor for just over 9 per cent of voters. Just under 6 per cent picked transport and roads. Gambling and pokies reform was only nominated by 4.6 voters as the most important issue influencing their vote.

The poll also included a question about the job former prime minister Tony Abbott did when leader with 40 per cent “strongly disapproving” and just under 25 per cent “strongly approving”.

A separate question stating that Mr Amon, while a Northern Beaches councillor, had voted to identify options for a monument for Mr Abbott showed more than 40 per cent of respondents were opposed to the move. Just 12 per cent expressed support.

A Climate 200 spokesman claimed Mr Amon’s decisions on council were dragging down his vote, with future social media posts and advertising to take advantage of this.

“Our latest polling in Pittwater shows that the community independent Jacqui Scruby has pulled ahead of her Liberal opponent on a two candidate preferred basis,” the spokesman said.

“Jacqui Scruby’s business and climate credentials and incredible community campaign are continuing to lift her name recognition and shift voters her way.”

Accusing Climate 200 of “push polling”, Mr Amon said he voted in favour of looking at naming a park or playground to aknowledge how the region had been simultaneously represented by a premier and prime minister in 2013-14, not a monument for a particular person.

On the contentious Petroleum Exploration Project 11, Mr Amon said he had encouraged his fellow councillors to join him in lobbying state and federal representatives with the power to “deliver the end of PEP-11 for our community”.

“Climate 200 and their Pittwater candidate claim to run on a platform of integrity, yet this push polling and their entire campaign in Pittwater have been based on misleading information and personal, nasty attacks,” he said.

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