{"id":25207,"date":"2018-10-22T06:45:38","date_gmt":"2018-10-21T20:15:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=25207"},"modified":"2018-10-22T08:15:24","modified_gmt":"2018-10-21T21:45:24","slug":"wentworth-climate-renewables-mb0793","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wentworth-climate-renewables-mb0793\/","title":{"rendered":"What Happened In Wentworth"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Kerryn

Images: Dr. Kerryn Phelps<\/a> | Dave Sharma<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Interim results of an exit poll indicate issues relating to climate change, coal and renewable energy played a significant role in the Liberal Party’s Wentworth downfall.<\/p>\n

Wentworth, in the inner-metropolitan area of Sydney, is Australia’s second-smallest geographical electoral division at just 38km2 and has a population of just under 103,000. As far as seats go, they didn’t come much safer than Wentworth – the Liberals had held it for many years.<\/p>\n

The ABC reports<\/a> independent candidate Kerryn Phelps is still on track to win the Wentworth by-election from the Liberals – what remains to be seen is by how much.<\/p>\n

An exit poll has so far revealed climate change and ditching coal in favour of renewable energy was the biggest single issue motivating Wentworth voters, with 78% stating it had some influence on their vote. Among voters for Dr. Phelps who had previously voted Liberal, 81% said climate change and abandoning coal had at least some influence on how they voted.<\/p>\n

The exit poll was commissioned by The Australia Institute and undertaken by Lonergan Research.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrime Minister Scott Morrison once brought a lump of coal into Parliament, but his government\u2019s climate-wrecking, anti-science stance has gone down like a lead balloon with the voters of Wentworth,\u201d said<\/a> Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director of The Australia Institute. \u201cThe Wentworth by-election was a referendum on climate change action and it\u2019s clear now that voters are willing to punish the government at the ballot box for their love of coal.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Australia Institute also notes the ousting of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (who also previously held the seat) played an important role. TAI stresses its figures are indicative at this point and will be updated.<\/p>\n

The Liberals appear to have taken ownership of the loss, but whether the Coalition will learn the lessons from it is another story.<\/p>\n

Kerryn Phelps’ Stance On Coal And Renewables<\/h2>\n

On October 2, Dr. Phelps released details on what she will be pursuing relating to climate change, including:<\/p>\n