THE ELECTORAL IMPACT OF NEW POLITICS ISSUES - THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE 1990 AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL-ELECTION

Despite growing scholarly interest in new politics, there is little di rect evidence with which to assess its electoral impact. This article investigates the influence of voter attitudes towards the environment- a central element within the cluster of new politics concerns-in an el ection in which environmental issues featured prominently, the Austral ian federal election of 1990. Using data from a large sample survey, w e test a number of hypotheses about the role of environmentalism in th e election. We find that environmental concern significantly influence d electoral support for both smaller environmental parties and the fin al choice between the two major parties. Environmentalism appears to h ave been crucial in the Australian Labor Party's victory, but its infl uence resulted largely from Labor's decision to highlight the issue to its own advantage.