Labor is trying to exploit voter uncertainty about Tony Abbott's direct action climate change plan, as it faces growing pressure to support the repeal of the carbon tax.
A new Fairfax-Nielsen poll of 1400 voters shows 57 per cent of people want the tax gone, giving fresh momentum to the government's claim that it's executing the will of Australian people.
But the same poll shows voters prefer the tax over the prime minister's alternative policy, with just 12 per cent backing direct action.
It comes as a leading business group raises concerns about direct action, which promises to cut greenhouse gas emissions by paying for activities like planting trees and improving soil carbon.
The government has called for public input to design its $1.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF), the principle mechanism by which it plans to reduce emissions by five per cent by 2020.
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In its submission, the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) complained that the consultation period for developing the ERF was too short, and doesn't allow the time for careful consideration.
"This is a very tight timeframe that we're working to," Ai Group chief Innes Willox told ABC Radio on Monday.
He also proposed the government purchase international emissions as part of its scheme as a "prudent fallback" in case it can't meet its emissions targets or wants to go further than five per cent.
Environment Minister Greg Hunt wants the ERF to reduce emissions domestically, but his proposed reverse auction approach of letting companies compete for abatement funding has also been criticised.
"Some winners in auctions aren't going to be able to deliver what is promised ... there's s a lot of variables at play here," Mr Willox said.
Assistant Treasurer Steve Ciobo said the government's number one priority remained scrapping the carbon tax, and it was clear the public supported this policy agenda.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has also ratcheted up his pressure on Labor to listen to voters, releasing a video at the weekend calling for the carbon tax to be pushed through the Senate by Christmas.
Labor's frontbencher Bernie Ripoll said the opposition also wanted the carbon tax scrapped - but instead they wanted an emissions reduction scheme (ETS) put in its place.
"It's either Tony Abbott's direct action - which is just a direct tax - or what we're proposing, which is an emissions trading scheme, and that's what the majority of people actually do support," he told Sky News on Monday.
The carbon tax repeal laws will be debated in the Senate when parliament resumes on December 2, but it's highly unlikely at this stage that Labor will support the legislation.
