Climate policy hangs in balance as Australians go to the polls

The future direction of Australia's climate change policy is hanging in the balance as the country prepares to go to the polls in its knife-edge federal election tomorrow.

The latest poll shows rival Labor and Coalition parties tied on 50 per cent of the vote, with Labor's primary vote dropping three percentage points and the Coalition's rising by the same amount, according to a Newspoll survey for The Australian.

Controversial plans for a national carbon trading scheme have remained a hot topic throughout the election after previous prime minister Kevin Rudd was forced to resign in June following his repeated failure to pass promised climate change legislation.

Rudd's replacement, incumbent Labor prime minister Julia Gillard, today sent a clear signal that she would move to introduce a price on carbon if re-elected.

Speaking to The Australian, Gillard promised to legislate to impose a carbon price during the next term, if Labor forms the next government and has sufficient support from legislative partners such as the Green Party.

"I don't rule out the possibility of legislating a carbon pollution reduction scheme, a market-based mechanism. I rule out a carbon tax," she told the paper.

Meanwhile, Gillard's rival, Liberal leader Tony Abbott, has consistently ruled out introducing a price on carbon, stating that even if the international community agreed on a carbon price, a government led by him would not necessarily back it.

Polls suggest the fast-growing Greens party could secure 14 per cent of the vote, almost doubling its performance in the 2007 election.

Senator Christine Milne, Greens deputy leader, said in a statement: "It is increasingly evident that neither the prime minister nor Mr Abbott has the courage to do what is needed on climate change. This is why the community needs more Greens in parliament, and in balance of power in the senate, to be the strongest possible voice for action on climate change."

The contest has already accrued record numbers of early voters, according to the Electoral Commission, with about 1.8 million votes cast so far, representing about 12.5 per cent of all people enrolled to vote.