Labor has taken a narrow lead over the Coalition in the marginal seat of Eden-Monaro ahead of the upcoming byelection, new polling has shown.
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A poll of almost 1000 people in the electorate conducted by the Australia Institute on May 12 found Labor ahead of the Liberals 51.1 per cent to 48.9 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, based on preference flows at the 2019 election.
The polling identified the economy as the biggest issue in the byelection, with 29 per cent of voters surveyed saying it was the most important, followed by climate change at 23 per cent and health at 13 per cent.
While the issue of bushfires is expected to be a major campaign topic throughout the byelection, 8 per cent said it was the most important issue, while 7 per cent said coronavirus.
More than 60 per cent of voters surveyed said leadership on the bushfire response requires leadership on climate change from the Prime Minister.
When asked about the economy in the time of coronavirus, 61 per cent of people said it will have improved in six months but would still be worse than it was last year.
Less than 4 per cent said the economy will have snapped back to normal in the same time period.
The Liberals have yet to endorse a candidate for the seat, after NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance backed down from preselection less than 24 hours after saying he would put his hand up for Eden-Monaro.
It followed a war of words between Mr Constance and NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro.
Read more:
- In the streets of Eden-Monaro, it's health, the environment and business on people's minds
- 'Bugger this for a joke': Why Andrew Constance withdrew from Eden-Monaro race
- 'Eden-Monaro feels forgotten': Bega mayor Kristy McBain to contest byelection
- The man who broke the bellwether: Mike Kelly's agonising decision to call it quits
- Analysis: Political history beckons after Mike Kelly's resignation
Fiona Kotvojs, who ran in Eden-Monaro at the 2019 election, is expected to be nominated as the party's candidate.
Labor has already preselected its candidate, Bega Valley mayor Kristy McBain.
The byelection was triggered by the resignation of Labor's Mike Kelly, who resigned from federal politics for health reasons.
Labor won the seat at the last federal election by less than 1 per cent.
A date for the byelection has not been set.
The Australia Institute's executive director Ben Oquist said there had been angst in the electorate over climate change policy.
"Of course, in these trying times, the economy is a primary concern for voters, but it is also clear that the government's chances of reclaiming Eden-Monaro would be improved by taking climate change action," he said.
"After a summer of disastrous fires across Australia, voters are drawing a clear link between leadership on the bushfires and taking action on climate change."