READERS SURVEY: Leader readers reveal environment, health at top of vote-shifting issues in ACM survey

But New England MP Barnaby Joyce has rejected the findings, telling the paper the Ukraine conflict, which kicked off after the ACM survey closed, will put defence and foreign policy back on the agenda.

"Since it was done before the Ukraine, I'd say the Ukraine would now clearly be number one," he said.

"Number two would be what does this mean for the Australia China relationship."

Some 7285 ACM readers from around the country registered their top three biggest vote-changing issues with the company.

Nationally, 43 per cent of respondents selected "environment and climate change", the biggest single issue.

Health was in second place, with 31 per cent of respondents, then "leadership".

Tamworth voters were less concerned with the respective leaders, Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese, and instead chose "federal corruption commission". "Aged care" was in fourth place by one vote. Leader readers were much more concerned than the national sample about "education", with 17.72 per cent choosing that issue as one of the most important.

Emeritus professor at the University of Newcastle and president of the Australian political studies association Jim Jose said recent flooding rain was likely to keep climate change on the political agenda.

"I think given the way the weather's been going recently I think it's likely to keep that sort of issue at the forefront of people's minds even if they don't necessarily attribute the severe weather conditions to climate change specifically," he said.

"In some roundabout way there's a connection people are still making."

Dr Jose said there is a "significant cross section of voters" who have already made their minds up about their vote, despite election day being still months away.

A second, shrinking, group of voters make their mind up on election day, often on an emotional basis while actually standing over their ballot.

The third group - a growing one - vote in advance, so sure are they in their choice of government.

"My guess is the government is facing an uphill battle to shift people's perceptions," he said.

"In large part the government's fate is more or less sealed. I think we see that reflected in the sorts of attempts they're making to shift public opinion to shift people's perceptions of the Labor party around national security. That doesn't seem to be cutting through."

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said people on the street, by and large, were concerned with either nuts-and-bolts local issues like roads, telecommunications or health issues - or foreign and defence policy.

He said the electorate weren't afraid as a result the week-long Ukraine war and growing tensions between Australia and China, but were "cautious".

"There's a big difference between fear and caution. Caution is: I don't want to get sunburnt so I'll wear a long-sleeved shirt. Fear is I'm going to die if I go outside," he said.

Mr Joyce acknowledged that health, ACM readers' second-biggest vote-changing issue, was a real concern of the electorate.

He spoke to the Leader just after opening a new $40 million medical training and research facility in Orange.

79 readers of the Northern Daily Leader submitted a response to the survey.