A hot topic? Climate change mitigation policies, politics, and the media in Australia

This paper explores some issues that have been important in the climate change mitigation debate in Australia. Media coverage reflects the prominence and nature of the debate and has risen almost exponentially since 2003. Clearly it has become a political issue. Media coverage is the lens through which the public view the debate, and whilst public opinion is not the only factor affecting policy formulation, in Australia it can be critical as voting is mandatory. A pilot study was used to explore perceptions of the nature of policy, the climate change debate, and its portrayal in the media, through the interview of key opinion leaders. Results indicate that opinion leaders believe that mitigation policy in Australia has been slow to progress due to media promotion of the uncertainty associated with climate change science, the weakness of leadership, and the political cost of unpalatable policy, even though effective policies at both national and international levels are needed.