TRENDS IN PUBLIC-OPINION ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN AUSTRALIA

In line with trends in public opinion in other countries, environmenta l issues in Australia rose in prominence during the late 1980s. In the 1990 Australian federal election, environmentally-oriented candidates in both the Green and Australian Democrat parties received the larges t third party vote since federation in 1901 (Bean, McAllister and Warh urst, 1990).(1) But the rise of politically significant environmental concerns in Australia needs to be placed into context, not only from t hat of a world-wide phenomenon but also in terms of the development of the environment as a political issue in Australia. This note examines post-1945 trends in public opinion towards the environment, using evi dence gathered over the years by commercial and government opinion pol ls.