The first public hearing of the Senate Inquiry into the Greens’ bill to give landholders the right to say ‘no’ to gas and coal mining on their land and to ban fracking was held in Brisbane today.

Greens Senator for Queensland Larissa Waters says it's outrageous that the Queensland Labor government has taken the step of pouring $34 million into the Callide Power Station at Biloela, in the new State Budget.

"Callide is a relic of the coal age that should be shut down, not propped up with taxpayer's dollars," said Senator Waters.

"It is the most polluting power station in the state and one of the worst in the country. For every megawatt of power produced, it emits 1.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The Greens strongly condemn the Abbott Government's approval of the Chinese-owned Shenhua Watermark coal mine in the Liverpool Plains to ruin high-quality farmland and cook the planet.

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

"The Abbott Government is again putting overseas mining interests ahead of farmers and our climate.

The Australian Greens will move for a Senate Inquiry into the fossil fuel industry's influence over politics, as the House of Representatives inquiry hearings into removing tax deductibility from environment groups begin today.

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and climate and environment spokesperson, who will lodge Terms of Reference for the Inquiry in the Senate today, said:

"The Abbott Government is out to destroy the environment and those who seek to protect it, on behalf of its big fossil fuel industry mates.

Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Larissa Waters, comments on the International Monetary Fund's estimate of global fossil fuel subsidies:

"It's staggering that governments around the world are propping up the dying fossil fuel industry to the tune of $5.3 trillion each year.

"This equates to $10 million a minute every day of ordinary taxpayers' money being funnelled into worsening climate change.

"Governments could be investing that money into reducing poverty, instead of propping up big mining companies and holding up the transition to renewable energy.

The Abbott Government has failed to rule out investing taxpayer money in Galilee Basin coal from its $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.