Mining back in favour as GetUp takes a dive
Australians have turned on anti-mining activism and GetUp’s claim of ‘independence’.
Australians have turned on anti-mining activism and GetUp’s claim of “independence”, with a surge in voters pushing back against extreme campaigns targeting major mine projects and attacks on conservative politicians.
New polling obtained by The Australian reveals a growing negative sentiment against GetUp, which targeted Coalition MPs at the May 18 election, and a spike in net support for the mining industry up to 55 per cent across the nation, compared with 46 per cent in May last year.
Research to be released on Wednesday by the Minerals Council of Australia, which polled 1000 people between July 17 and 23, with half of those surveyed in regional Australia, showed increases in support for the mining industry among the 18-34 age group and residents in Victoria, NSW and South Australia.
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According to data compiled by JWS Research, opposition to mining has dropped to its lowest level in recent years, down from 13 per cent in March to 10 per cent in July.
The polling, commissioned to test the effectiveness of the MCA’s “There’s more to Australian mining” campaign, showed there had been cut-through to younger Australians and middle-aged women.
MCA chief executive Tania Constable said most Australians understood that “mining matters” and that it made a “significant contribution to jobs and the economy” that supported the future development of sustainable power, renewable energy, advanced engineering and electric vehicles.
“Mining gives back to local communities and the country through the considerable taxes and royalties the industry pays,’’ Ms Constable said. “Over the last decade, the minerals industry generated $212bn in company tax and royalties for Australia. Mining provides the resources for modern life, technology and business.
“Everything we depend on is either made from minerals or relies on minerals for its production. If it didn’t grow, it was mined.”
Liberal Party polling obtained by The Australian also reflects a shift in sentiment towards GetUp’s claims of “independence” with half of Australians regarding the left-wing activist group as working mostly or entirely in the interests of Labor and the Greens.
The Australian understands that at the time of the Longman by-election north of Brisbane last year, a similar Liberal Party poll found 78 per cent of local voters expressed a “don’t know” or “neutral” view of GetUp.
Scott Morrison launched an assault on GetUp last month, threatening to investigate the group’s claims it was “politically independent” and describing it as a “shady group that operates in the shadows”. Speaking at the South Australian Liberal state council in Adelaide, the Prime Minister warned GetUp that “Australians are on to you” and “plausible deniability won’t work this term”.
Ms Constable said Mr Morrison’s “quiet Australians” were railing against “activists blocking city streets”.
The JWS Research reported 45 per cent of respondents as saying their votes would be influenced by a candidate’s policies related to the mining and resources sector.
Adani’s coalmine came under intense scrutiny during the election campaign, with Labor losing ground in the key central Queensland battleground seats of Flynn, Capricornia and Herbert. The Stop Adani Convoy, which toured though Queensland, triggered pushback in regional areas.