Green Over Greed

Australians have put climate change, industrial relations and health ahead of the economy in terms of the first priorities for the newly elected Rudd government.

A CoreData poll that opened yesterday reveals almost one in three people (31%) believe action relating to Australia’s stance on climate change is the main priority for the newly elected government – and this is likely to happen with suggestions Labor will ratify the Kyoto protocol.

Meanwhile the second biggest priority (28%) for Rudd according to the more than 1,500 respondents relates to taking action on industrial relations – however Rudd did stress yesterday that he would not appease unions by retrospectively abolishing existing Australian Workplace Agreements.

Health is tracking as the third biggest focus for voters with almost one in four (23%) of people looking for action on the subject.

The economy sat fourth out of the five options voters were provided with (Defence was the fifth option).

However only 15% of people felt the Government should make the economy its first priority.

This is despite more than half (51%) of 8,650 people a fortnight ago stating that the Federal Government (albeit the then Howard Government) was completely or largely responsible for interest rate movements due to its spending and economic policies.