“There is real anger west of the Great Dividing Range, where residents believe that leaders are focused only on Sydney and not on their communities, which will be affected most by reckless emissions reduction policies,” said Daniel Wild, Deputy Executive Director of the Institute of Public Affairs.
Today, the Institute of Public Affairs has released poll results ahead of the upcoming New South Wales state election, showing that over 50% of voters in key net zero impact zones have indicated they will vote for an independent or minor party.
“These results suggest there is a shadow election occurring in the regions, and reinforces the fundamental disconnect between regional New South Wales, the engine room of the state’s economy, and the political class who are only focused on Sydney,” said Mr Wild.
The poll of 1,095 voters across regional NSW took four key regional seats: Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo, and Upper Hunter: (results over page)
- 52% of voters surveyed indicated they would vote for an independent or minor party (32% said they would vote Nationals, 13% Labor, and 2% were undecided).
- 72% agreed with the proposition that “city-based members of parliament take regional New South Wales for granted.”
- Barely one in four agreed that the major political parties in New South Wales represent and understand the interests and concerns of their local community.
- Just one in three believe politicians when they say green jobs will replace mining and agriculture jobs that will be lost to the major parties emission reductions policies.
The poll follows the release of research by the IPA that estimates up to 138,000 jobs could be put at risk by the reckless emissions reduction policies of both major parties.
The poll also shows that voters in the Upper Hunter electorate, where close to 25% of local jobs are at risk, were the least likely to trust politicians’ promises on new green jobs, with just three in ten voters backing the energy transition job promise.
“Locals in seats such as Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst, and Upper Hunter put food on our tables, keep the lights on, and generate our nation’s wealth, yet they are ignored by politicians who look down on the regions,” said Mr Wild.
“Locals on the ground know that their jobs in mining, power generation, agriculture, and transport are on the chopping block, but they also know deep-down that they are not going to be replaced by the much hyped ‘green jobs’, which simply do not exist.”
“New South Wales is facing a regional jobs crisis, courtesy of the emission reduction policies both major parties are taking to the March state election, leaving voters with little choice,” said Mr Wild.
“We need our political leaders to back our regions, which have so much promise and potential, but are being held back by short-sighted policies which risk closing critical industries, and ending well-paid, full-time jobs.”
To download the IPA’s An Analysis of the employment consequences of a net zero emissions target in New South Wales research report click here.
