Australian carbon tax consensus 'is gone'

The political and public consensus to address Australia's carbon emissions with a form of taxation "is gone" according to ABC's political writer Annabel Crabb.

Thousands of people gathered in the Australian capital, Canberra, to protest against the planned tax aimed at curbing greenhouse emissions.

It is the centrepiece of Prime Minister Julia Gillard's environmental strategy, despite her ruling out its introduction during last year's election campaign.

A year on from that pledge, conservative opponents, who opposed the measure, are calling for new elections, claiming the tax will drive up household bills and cost jobs.