Damaging the competitiveness of our coal exports was “appalling policy”, she said.

“In this election campaign, Australians should think hard about giving this activist political party any kind of parliamentary mandate,” she said.

“Today's proposal, to yet again increase taxes for Australian coal exporters, is unworthy of a party that seeks to represent Australians in the Commonwealth Parliament.”

In its election policy document, Greens Leader Christine Milne said the government spent billions on tax breaks to the big mining corporations and fossil fuel industry.

“The Australian Greens will reinvest over $12 billion from abolishing key tax breaks to the fossil fuel industry into the smart, clean industries for the future,” she said.

“The Greens are standing up with farmers and rural and regional Australians to say ‘no’ to the rapid expansion of coal seam gas, shale gas and coal mining.”

Williams said coal generated jobs for some 180,000 people and already contributed $3 billion in state royalties, more than $10 billion in direct and indirect taxes, paid $5 billion in wages and was subject to the world’s highest carbon tax along with the Minerals Resource Rent Tax.

She said it was contributing to the Australian economy at a time when many coal mines were operating at a loss.

“The Greens fail to make even a passing reference to how their ideas would drive unemployment in the coal industry and negatively affect families and the communities they live in,” Williams said.

“Why doesn’t the welfare of coal miners trouble Greens MPs?

“The Greens are oblivious to the vast network of industries and service businesses that rely on the coal industry for their own jobs and social and economic stability.

“Perhaps Greens MPs ignore the services and jobs that coal royalties provide – such as police, nurses and school teachers – along with the economic and social benefits that coal investments spread throughout our economy because for them, ideology trumps human need, economic rationality and reality every time.”