The Abbott Government's plan to remove tax deductibility of donations to environment groups would devastate environment protection, heard the Senate Inquiry into the government's environment attacks at the first hearing in Brisbane today.

"One in five Australians donate to environment groups - their generosity and altruism should be rewarded by government," Queensland Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, who established the Inquiry, said.

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, comments on the Abbott Government excluding Environmental Defenders Offices from its reversal of funding cuts to community legal centres:
"The Abbott Government is adding insult to injury by leaving out EDO from its announcement about funding cut reversals.
"Grassroots community groups face a David and Goliath battle in trying to protect their land, water and climate from big coal and gas.

The Nationals, Labor and the Liberals have voted against the Australian Greens' motion to put food security and water ahead of coal seam gas.

"On the Q and A program this week, Nationals Senator Fiona Nash refused to answer whether she would cross the floor on coal seam gas," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens mining spokesperson, said.

"Today Senator Nash gave her answer by failing to cross the floor and instead voting against the Greens' motion to put food security and water ahead of coal seam gas.

The Australian Greens will give the Nationals the opportunity to cross the floor on coal seam gas, with a Senate motion for vote tomorrow (Thursday).

"The Nationals say one thing in the community and then do another in Parliament," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens mining spokesperson, said.

"On the Q and A program this week, Nationals Senator Fiona Nash wouldn't answer whether she would cross the floor for a vote on CSG because she said it was a hypothetical question.

The Australian Greens are calling for urgent climate action based on advice by Professor Terry Hughes, co-author of new research in Science on poor management of World Heritage areas, including the Great Barrier Reef.

"The Abbott and Palaszczuk governments need to take heed of this serious warning from one of the world's leading coral reef scientists," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

"Based on the science, the choice is simple - coal or the Reef?

The federal Nationals today again deserted the Senate chamber to avoid voting on a Greens' motion putting forward the Victorian Nationals' recent policy position that landholders should have the right to say no to CSG on their land.

"The Greens, at every level, in every state and territory, have a long track record of fighting for landholders to have the right to say no to CSG to protect their land, water and climate," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens mining spokesperson, said.

The Australian Greens will introduce a bill to the federal Parliament today that exercises constitutional powers to give landholders nationally the right to say no to coal and gas mining on their land.

New research shows $784 million is needed to improve Great Barrier Reef water quality, even before new the coal mines and ports, supported by the major parties, are built.

A new report out today by The Australia Institute shows that the Newman Government has already spent almost $2 billion of Queensland taxpayers’ money on the existing Abbot Point coal port.