PM finds he can't sell coal to Newcastle - Breaking News - National - Breaking News

While question topics ranged from the Medicare surcharge levy to the war in Afghanistan, it was climate change that dominated and prompted the biggest response from a city known as the coal capital of Australia.

The audience wanted to know more about scientific evidence on carbon capture and storage, or geosequestration, and why Australia continued to rely so heavily on coal power.

"The whole basis for our policy on climate change comes from the science," Mr Rudd said.

"Our engagement as a government is not simply because it's a good idea, it's because the science stares us in the face."

Two protesters dressed as polar bears and accompanied by other climate change protesters also followed Mr Rudd from his cabinet meeting in nearby Mayfield West at lunchtime and to Lambton to ensure their message was heard.

Kelly McParland: Dion slips and slides in a field of disbelief - Full Comment

...here's a guess about the root of the problem: Canadians have stopped believing. They don't believe the Green Shift will work. They don't believe Mr. Dion knows how to halt climate change any more than Mr. Harper does.