A survey completed by 476 Herald readers shows 43 per cent placed "environment and climate change" among the top three issues likely to determine their vote.

Health was identified as the next most important issue on 34.5 per cent, followed by leadership on 31 per cent, government handling of the pandemic on 23.3 per cent, a federal corruption commission on 22.9 per cent and aged care on 21 per cent.

The Herald survey was part of a "national" poll by owner Australian Community Media which identified similar priorities among its mostly regional readership.

Newcastle readers were more interested than average in leadership, health, aged care, jobs and wages but less concerned than average about a corruption commission and women's issues.

Climate change ranked number one, again on 43 per cent, in the wider survey.

Climate change and energy policy have become increasingly important to voters nationally as the world shifts towards renewables.

A Lowy Institute poll in 2021 found 61 per cent of adults regarded climate change as the number one threat to Australia's interests, up 15 points in five years.

The same survey showed the only area in which voters gave the government a below-average policy mark was climate change, where it scored 4.6 out of 10.

A research article published last year by the Australian National University's Crawford School of Public Policy concluded that a "large majority of voters think it is important for Australia to reduce greenhouse gas emissions", but this had not helped the more progressive side of politics at the last federal election.

"The opposition campaigned on comparatively ambitious climate action but the government was returned on a status quo policy," the article says.

The researchers also found younger people held stronger views on climate change than older voters and, if age cohorts' opinions did not change over time, this would shift the political dial towards more aggressive action.

"We conclude that, while cleavages in climate attitudes in Australia are set to continue, efforts to promote climate delay are bound to have a limited shelf life as a growing majority of voters accepts the need for climate action."

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