Malcolm Turnbull’s appointment to a climate consultancy position has thrown the Coalition’s ability to win back their Upper Hunter seat at a by-election into further doubt.

NSW Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean, who nominated the former prime minister for the role, joined Clinton Maynard to confront voters’ concerns.

Despite an outpouring of anger from listeners in the Upper Hunter via the open line, Mr Kean dismissed the suggestion that miners could soon face unemployment as “utter rubbish”.

“Malcolm Turnbull won’t be having anything to do with coal, or coal workers’ jobs.

“There is [a] great future for coal in NSW … but there are also new opportunities emerging.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview