More dismal news for warmists from Australia: Record number oppose CO2 swindle; 81% not willing to pay an extra $10 per month for energy

Record number oppose price on carbon [dioxide]: poll

AUSTRALIANS are far less worried about the world choking on greenhouse gas emissions than they were five years ago - and a record number of people now oppose a price on carbon, new polling has found.

The hardening of attitudes on environment policy appears to further dent support for Julia Gillard's proposed carbon tax, with nearly 40 per cent of Australians now not prepared to pay anything if tackling climate change involves a rise in electricity bills - an almost two-fold increase compared with 2008.

Overall, the number of Australians who believe the country should take urgent steps to address the problem ''even if this involves significant costs'' has plunged from 68 per cent in 2006 to 41 per cent today.

The poll of Australian's opinion on international issues by the Lowy Institute in Sydney also shows combating climate change has continued to drop among issues ranked as priorities for Australia - with only 46 per cent seeing it as ''important'' compared with 75 per cent in 2007.

The number of people willing to pay an extra $10 each month for energy fell to 19 per cent - down from 25 per cent last year.