I saw the lateline edition on ABC Australia on their latest iView internet TV player.

Steve Fielding, a Family First Senator, is a crucial vote for the Rudd government’s Emission Trading Scheme.

He is attending a climate skeptic conference and meeting with the Obama Administration about climate change issues.  He is self-funding the trip to better understand both sides of the issue and then take a decision.

He talks about having a open mind and hearing both sides of the story. I think that is great. To be able to be calm and objective and hear all sides to a story in a issue as important as climate change is a great attitude.

It will be interesting to see what he comes back with.

He writes more about this on his blog:

I think it is very important, being an elected person that I give both sides a chance to put their case forward so that I can make an informed decision on the Rudd Government’s proposed carbon reduction scheme that I will be asked to vote on in just under two weeks.

I am not a climate sceptic and I am not a climate change extremist. What I am, however, is someone that actually wants to take a balanced view, look at the facts and then respond appropriately, unlike the Greens.

As well as meeting with various scientists I will also be having high level talks with members of the Obama Administration on how they plan to deal with reducing carbon emissions.

I hope this will give me more information so I can chart a clear course in my mind for where Australia needs to head in reducing carbon emissions.