The Palaszczuk Government is again putting mining companies above regional communities by cutting the amount of money mining companies pay to guarantee that mines are properly rehabilitated.

With the government's change, mining companies no longer have to pay GST of 10 per cent on the rehabilitation bonds they lodge with the State Government.

Nationals Senators have failed to stand by their own claims that they believe landholders should have the right to say no to coal seam gas by voting against on a Greens' Senate motion today.

Queensland Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and mining spokesperson, who put forward the motion, said:

"Our motion included the claims of Warren Truss, Barnaby Joyce, Fiona Nash, Michael McCormack, Andrew Broad, Bridget McKenzie, John Williams and Matthew Canavan.

"But the Nationals Senators failed to stand by those claims and voted against the motion.  

QGC's announcement today of an extra 300 to 400 coal seam gas wells near Wandoan puts Queensland's land, water, Great Barrier Reef and climate at risk.

"The Palaszczuk Government's enthusiastic support for hundreds more CSG wells in Queensland is short-sighted and reckless," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens mining spokesperson, said.

"Wandoan is some of Queensland's best grain growing country and CSG wells here will just put more strain on Queensland's farmers.

On 12 and 13 November 2015 my office issued two press releases which the Chief Executive of Adani Mining Australia, Mr Jeyakumar Janakaraj, has complained contained defamatory statements. 

On 12 and 13 November 2015 my office issued two press releases which the Chief Executive of Adani Mining Australia, Mr Jeyakumar Janakaraj, has complained contained defamatory statements. 

The Senate has voted down a Turnbull Government motion in support of its bill to limit who can take the government to court when it breaks environment law.

"Thanks to Senator Canavan's motion, we've just had a proxy vote on the standing bill, and we now know it's dead in the water," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.  

"The Senate clearly disagrees with the Turnbull Government's blatant attempt to silence the community for the sake of its big mining buddies.

The Australian Greens are urging the cross-bench Senators to continue to block the Turnbull Government's plan to give all federal environmental approval powers to state or even local governments.

"It is deeply disappointing that Malcolm Turnbull is pushing Tony Abbott's plan to take an axe to environmental protection," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and environment spokesperson, said.

The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility criteria, released by the Turnbull Government today, fail to rule out the $5 billion facility becoming a slush fund for big mining companies.

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and mining spokesperson, said the draft criteria do not consider environmental, cultural or social impacts.

The Palaszczuk Government's reported plans to give the Minister more power to influence the outcomes of mining disputes in the Land Court and stifle community rights to uphold environment law are an attack on democracy.  

Queensland Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and environment spokesperson, said:

"Minister Lynham already has the final say on mining applications and Queensland's Land Court can only make a recommendation to the Minister.  But even this doesn't seem to be enough. 

The Australian Greens are calling for Queensland Resources Council CEO Michael Roche to be sacked, following his inappropriate and insensitive statements about George Bender's death today.

Qld Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens mining spokesperson, said:

"George Bender's daughter, Helen, has pledged to carry on her father's fight to protect farmland from CSG, yet Michael Roche has taken it upon himself to disparage the movement that George inspired.