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It is clear that the price on carbon is becoming less of an issue with voters. The evidence of this is the keywords people have been using in Google searches. The graph below shows how the word 'carbon tax' peaked in searches in 2011, but fell away in early 2012, peaked again (at a lower level) at the time of implementation but now is no longer showing up in searches at significant higher levels than more moderate terms such as carbon price or carbon trading.
The Climate Institute's 'Climate of the Nation' survey has also shown that opposition to the price on Carbon is decreasing.
Abbott seems to be flogging a dead horse, demonstrated by his return to his recycled description of a market based scheme.... "It's a so-called market in the non-delivery of an invisible substance to no-one," A comment which is now drawing laughter from many quarters.
Julie Bishop has never been a good media performer, but she has been floundering more than usual recently. Her hysterical responses to any suggestion that Indonesia won't allow boats to be towed back, her suggestion that Indonesia will need to 'like it or lump it' when it comes to Australian foreign policy, and her verbaling of the Indonesian foreign Minister have been evidence of her growing desperation. Her performance on Q&A last night was the worst she's ever been.
And then there is the less than enthusiastic endorsement that Turnbull gave for the Coalition pamphlet 'Real Solutions'. Let's see if Abbott stops waving it around in future media stunts.
Any time you trot out Greg Hunt, you are truly desperate. But we will know that the Coalition have actually given up when they send out Cory Bernardi, Sophie Mirabella, or Kelly O'Dwyer to try and sell anything.