31 percent of Australians say the needs of the climate are more important than the needs of the economy

Yahoo conducted an online poll regarding Australian policy on climate change. 31 percent said that the country should put the climate first and the economy second; 53 percent the country should balance climate change action with the needs of the economy, and 10 percent said the country should put the economy first and climate second. 6 percent said the country should take no action.

A national election will be held on November 24 in which biofuels and climate change policy has been subject of lively debate.

The ruling Coalition government proposed a $16 million program to support cellulosic ethanol research and promote biofuels education. The plan ran into opposition from the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association over the use of food crops for biofuels feedstocks.

Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd pledged $15 million toward second-generation biofuel plants, with a goal of making next-generation ethanol commercially viable by 2017.

Last week, the last biodiesel plants in operation in Australia closed down due to excessive feedstock costs and low biodiesel prices. The closures follows project halts on Australian ethanol plants. Agri Energy’s CEO said the cancellations resultted from “continued uncertainty over investor, government and community support for alternative transport fuels in Australia.”

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