Former Australian Prime Minister, climate change denier and budgie smuggler Tony Abbott is facing the end of his political career. And the challenge is coming from someone who understands what an existential threat climate change poses to us.
From Nicole Hasham at the Sydney Morning Herald:
New polling commissioned by GetUp suggests former prime minister Tony Abbott is on track for a defeat by independent candidate Zali Steggall in his blue ribbon Sydney seat of Warringah.
A Lonergan poll of 805 Warringah voters shows Mr Abbott trailing Ms Steggall 56-44 on a two party-preferred basis. GetUp is campaigning against Mr Abbott in Warringah.
The poll also showed climate change and the environment is a top-order issue for Warringah voters.
Ms Steggall, an Olympic skier-turned-barrister, has put combating climate change at the centre of her campaign and says the Morrison government has failed to act on emissions reduction or encouraging the renewable energy transition.
Mr Abbott has held Warringah for almost 25 years. Under his leadership, the Coalition government scrapped Labor’s price on carbon and as a backbencher he has strongly fought against emissions reduction measures.
And it appears that the precarious state of our environment is now a more important issue for voters than the economy. As it should be. Again from the SMH:
Some 35 per cent of respondents said climate change and the environment would help determine their vote – ahead of economic management at 27 per cent.
Of those who planned to vote for Ms Steggall, 89 per cent oppose the proposed Adani coal mine.
GetUp’s campaign director Miriam Lyons said voters clearly wanted their federal MPs to protect the climate for future generations.
“People in Warringah are demanding action on climate change like never before,” she said.
“It’s clear our climate can’t afford another 25 years of Tony Abbott, this election Warringah will be voting for climate leadership.
As an indication of what a dinosaur he is Abbott was recently approached by a group of young people who are concerned about climate change. He said to them that “the Earth has survived many things” and he didn’t believe the “environmental catastrophe” predicted by scientists would occur.
Abbott’s seat of Warringah is based on the inner city suburb of Mossman and includes Manly on the east coast. It has always been held by the right.
The election is on May 18. Fingers crossed …
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