Climate change a big issue in Aussie vote

SYDNEY, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- A poll among Australian voters in marginal seats for this month's general election shows climate change is a major issue.

Figures released by the Climate Institute, an environmental lobby group, indicate that voters are not just thinking about interest rates in marginal seats being contested in the Nov. 24 election by the ruling Liberal-National party coalition and the Labor Party.

The Institute said polling in marginal seats found that 73 percent of those surveyed said climate change would have a strong influence on they way they vote -- compared to 62 percent in a survey conducted in August.

The latest figures indicate "there is a growing thirst for action amongst Australians on climate change," said Climate Institute spokesman John Connor in a news release.

But the polling also revealed the "green" credentials of both the government and the opposition have slipped -- from 42 percent to 35 percent in the case of Labor, and from 20 percent to 15 percent for the coalition.