Australia's climate change policy is always considered to be a major factor that will greatly impact the next government after the Sept. 7 federal elections. For the Australian voting public, the issue of climate change has dropped down from the list of the most important issues that the next leadership should address.

For political watchdogs and observers, it is the most important issue that Labour candidate and current Prime Minister Kevin Rudd should focus on if he wants to win over the Coalition's Tony Abbott in the federal elections.

However, in the past seven years, the government's position on climate change has had a greater impact on how a political party fares well during an election than economic issues.

The Reserve Bank of Australia and the Treasury's advice kept the Australian economy from sinking amidst the global financial crisis than any politician's actions.

Abbott expected to win elections: polls

According to Australian polls, most Australians thought that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will win the Sept. 7 elections over Labour's Kevin Rudd. The polls would indicate that Australia will be once again in the control of the conservative Liberal-National Party coalition. Various polls also suggested that the Coalition will get the majority vote of Australians.

As the election campaign drew to a close to prepare for the Sept. 7 elections, Tony Abbott said the election was a referendum on carbon tax which was the response of the Labour government to climate change.

Many political analysts said it would be almost impossible for Mr Abbott to win a majority in the Senate even if he becomes the next prime minister of Australia. In order for his plan to repeal the carbon tax to succeed, the Senate must make a majority vote. This means Mr Abbott's pledge to repeal carbon tax will not be approved if Labour maintains Senate majority.

Rudd accuses Abbott of "walking away" from climate change commitment

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has accused Mr Abbott of abandoning Australia's international obligations on climate change after the Opposition Leader said he will not increase the funds of his Direct Action plan if he failed to implement greenhouse gas reductions in the country.

The Climate Institute has previously stated that there was no available evidence to support the Coalition's plans on climate change could achieve the promised 5 per cent target.

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