Just days out from the introduction of the federal government’s carbon tax a majority of voters remain against the impost because they believe it will push up costs, a poll says.
The weekly Essential Research online poll found 54 per cent of voters saying they oppose pricing carbon, up from 53 per cent when the question was last asked in November last year.
Support for the tax eased to 35 per cent from 38 per cent.
Forty-five per cent of the 1000 people surveyed say they expect the cost of living to increase a lot under a carbon tax regime, compared with 26 per cent who expect a moderate rise in prices and 20 per cent who see costs increasing just a little.
Asked what impact the carbon tax will have on a list of items, 67 per cent picked energy prices and 53 per cent fuel prices to increase by a lot.
Forty-one per cent said grocery prices will also increase by a lot and 39 per cent said fresh fruit and vegetable prices.
Unemployment is expected to jump, according to 31 per cent of respondents, while 22 per cent said interest rates would increase a lot.
Treasury has estimated the carbon tax will add 0.7 per cent to inflation, while the Reserve Bank of Australia has indicated it will look through its initial impact on inflation, as it did when the GST was introduced in 12 years ago.
Forty-four per cent of respondents expect a coalition government to repeal the carbon tax, compared with 40 per cent who think it is unlikely.
