Election 2022: Poll reveals climate was key in Gilmore, Page, Eden-Monaro

Exit polling in three rural NSW seats show climate change, environment were at forefront of 40 per cent of voter minds.

Farmers for Climate Action chief executive Fiona Davis. Picture: Supplied

Exit polling conducted in the rural NSW seats of Gilmore, Page and Eden-Monaro has suggested that climate and environment policy were a key priority area for regional voters at the May 21 election.

Across all three seats, more than 40 per cent of those surveyed said climate change and the environment were in the top three issues informing their vote.

And more than 20 per cent across all three seats nominated climate and the environment as the key policy area on which they voted.

The exit polling was commissioned by Farmers for Climate Action, with chief executive Fiona Davis saying that country Coalition MPs who backed strong climate policies had been rewarded.

Dr Davis said the Nationals MP Kevin Hogan in the seat of Page had received a 5 per cent swing to him on two party preferred support while the Liberal candidate in Gilmore, Andrew Constance, had insulated himself against the big anti-Coalition swing experienced in other seats.

She also noted that Nationals MP for Gippsland in rural Victoria, Darren Chester, had extended his two party preferred support by another 4 per cent.

The results come as the Coalition holds an internal debate on the lessons of the May 21 election which saw a ‘teal revolution’ claim up to six inner city seats from the Liberal Party, with moderate Liberals now arguing for the party to scale up its ambition on its 26-28 per cent 2030 climate change targets.

“Rural people are starting to see the really big renewables and hydrogen projects rolling out now, bringing thousands of sustainable jobs to their regions. These jobs are no longer a dream; they’re the reality on the ground,” Dr Davis said.

“Farmers understand that carbon and biodiversity crops can become a vital part of farm income, diversifying the income stream and delivering payment even during drought.

“Farmers also know they can host both a renewable energy project and a farm on their land – sheep can graze under and alongside solar panels and wind turbines, for example. Renewable energy can provide farmers with substantial extra income and also reduce energy bills for farmers and city folk alike.”

In the seat of Gilmore, which was heavily affected by the Black Summer bushfires, the exit polling showed that 72 per cent of voters said “effective climate change policies” were important to their vote. In Eden-Monaro, 76 per cent of voters surveyed nominated “effective climate change policies” as being important to them while in Page, on the north coast of NSW, 72 per cent said it was important.

Dr Davis said Australia needed strong climate policy to drive “deep emissions reductions this decade to protect the farmers who grow our food.”

The polling in each seat was conducted by YouGov and the sample size exceeded 300 voters in each electorate.