Oct 21st 2018

There’s no such thing as a safe Liberal seat

New polling reveals the shockwaves sent through the Morrison government in Wentworth will be replicated in Tony Abbott’s seat of Warringah.

New polling reveals the shockwaves sent through the Morrison government in Wentworth will be replicated in Tony Abbott’s seat of Warringah.

A ReachTel poll conducted in Warringah before the Wentworth by-election reveals that, just like in Wentworth, global warming is the top issue for voters when deciding their vote - ahead of the economy and public services. And, like in Wentworth, an overwhelming majority of voters (72%) want 100% renewable energy in 5-20 years.

The poll also shows more than half (56%) of voters think Tony Abbott - the Coalition’s lead climate change denialist, who wants Australia to walk away from the Paris Climate Agreement and has called for public investment in coal fired power - is doing a poor or very poor job as their MP.

The poll puts the Liberal Party narrowly ahead of the ALP on a two-party preferred basis at 54-46, making Warringah a marginal seat - a dramatic drop from the 61.5% Abbott held the seat by in 2016. More than half of voters in Warringah are already thinking about voting for an independent.

GetUp National Director Paul Oosting said the Morrison government was delivered an overwhelming message yesterday: if you choose coal over the climate you will pay a huge penalty at the ballot box.

“The community is fed up with Tony Abbott leading the hard right charge to wreck our climate and hold the government back from making Australia more fair and just,” he said.

“As Wentworth proved, there is now no such thing as a safe Liberal seat.

“People care deeply for the health of the planet. MPs in Kooyong, Higgins, Brisbane and Curtain - and yes, even Warringah - will be quaking in their boots. Their electorates are just like Wentworth.”

Climate change was the defining issue of the Wentworth by-election. More than 80% of ex-Liberal voters said climate change policy had an influence on their vote.

“Voters are turning to candidates that want to stop Adani, support clean energy and phase out coal by 2030.

“All over Australia the tide has turned and any candidate, party or politician without a plan to address climate change will pay a penalty on election day.”