ABC TV: The Battle for Curtin (1 May 2025)

Climate change was seen as a decisive factor in helping to elect a Climate 200 backed independent in Western Australia's most affluent electorate. But this time the topic's been largely absent from the campaign of either Kate Chaney or her Curtin liberal challenger or as other more pressing issues dominate discussions.

OK, let's go. What a beautiful morning. In the most marginal Teal seat in the nation, campaigning gets underway early. Thank you so much. Thank you, Matthew. Give us a high five. This electorate was blue-ribbon heartland liberal for almost all of its existence, but it turned Teal last election with Kate Chaney's campaign focused heavily on climate change.

At this election, vote like our future depends on it. A lot of people popping by giving us the special nod saying that climate is a big motivator for them. During that campaign, about 60 % of her ads on Facebook and Instagram mentioned the issue. This time it's around 6%, a shift reflected among voters, including via ABC Vote Compass data.

“Everything has just got more expensive, harder to live. We don't do enough in this country, don't think, in sustainable energy. For me it would be education. Probably the cost of living, if anything. Just obviously everything going up. That's become a very immediate focus for people. But I don't think it changes the underlying need for good long-term thinking that will affect things like inflation, but also climate change.”

Morning, Paul. Good morning, Tom. How are you?

Tom White has also noticed climate becoming less of an issue. As you'd expect, more fundamental hip pocket issues are confronting people. It is a public policy problem, but we have many public policy problems and we can't be overly distracted by one thing at the expense of others. Traditionally a Labor voter, Kelvin Fewings has felt his own priorities shifting. “It's still a pressing issue in my mind, but it's not as pressing because it's not right in your face. It's hard to worry about next week when you don't know that next day as a metaphor, you know.”"

Millions of dollars is being spent trying to win this seat, a lot of it landing in the letterboxes of voters out there. Kate Chaney's material has really been focused on what she thinks she can add to the political debate, while the Liberals have had a little bit of that. They've also been trying to highlight what they see as the risk of electing an Independent.

“It hasn't really surprised me that the Liberal Party has chosen to have a campaign that's really about billboards and personal attack ads and I think that's exactly the sort of politics that people are sick of. I understand that people are tired of the negativity in politics.”

“It's almost a cliché to say that, I totally get it. But also part of the political process is to scrutinise the choice that people face. As the end of the race nears, are also pitching their focus on the big issue.”

“We've got these national challenges that we need to deal with like housing and productivity, tax reform, climate. These are the things that federal government should be focused on. We don't have good answers to where the next tranche of economic growth is coming from in Australia.

My prescription would be address that underlying challenge, attract investment to the country organically.”

An electorate accustomed to influence, hoping to hold some whichever way the election falls.