Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 7-Feb-23

In December 2022, the Taking the Pulse of the Nation survey asked Australians about their ability to meet daily energy needs, their strategies to deal with high energy costs, and what they expect from the government to assist with rising energy costs. Rising energy costs have meant that a fifth of Australians can’t afford to adequately use their heating or cooling. The proportion of Australians unable to heat or cool their homes is almost four times higher among those in financial stress compared to those not in financial stress. When asked how they’re responding to recent and predicted future increases in electricity and gas prices, 36% of Australians have changed the heating and/or cooling setting of their homes to lower energy costs and save money. Some 12% of respondents reported having skipped a meal or eaten less to be able to pay their energy bills. Meanwhile, about 45% of Australians believe the government should invest in or subsidise the development of more renewable energy sources instead of one-time transfers to households to help alleviate energy poverty. Many Australians also want to see government intervention with price controls or caps on energy market prices, and investment in nuclear technologies and power infrastructure. This report is based on a total of 1,000 adult respondents from data collected in December 2022. Visit the Melbourne Institute Taking the Pulse of the Nation web portal for further information and to access interactive charts and other findings: https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/data/ttpn.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. INSTITUTE OF APPLIED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH