CANBERRAhaktuts2021freespins, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Australians are divided over whether the country should continue to pursue its 2030 emissions reduction target, a poll has found.

The survey, which was published by market research company Essential Research on Tuesday, found that 52 percent of voters believe Australia should stick to its current 2030 emissions reduction target while 48 percent said the target was unachievable and hurting the economy.

The governing Labor Party has legislated a commitment to reducing Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by at least 43 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 and a 2050 net-zero emissions target.

Data released by the government in November 2023 revealed that the country is on track to reduce its emissions by 42 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.

However, leader of the opposition coalition Peter Dutton said that if elected as prime minister, he would abandon the 2030 target but continue to pursue net-zero by 2050 under an energy plan that prioritizes gas in the short-term and nuclear power long-term.

Tuesday's Essential poll found that the Labor Party, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, leads the coalition 48 percent to 46 on a two-party preferred basis. The next general election must be held by September 2025.

Thirty-four percent of participants in the survey chose Labor as the party that is better at driving the transition to renewable energy compared to 18 percent who chose the coalition, with 48 percent picking neither major party.■