Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne says the Renewable Energy Target has been a major contributor to cutting pollution and energy costs, and must not be scaled down or abandoned.

"Tony Abbott wants to destroy jobs, destroy investment and make power more expensive for consumers all because he wants to protect the old coal-fired generators and gas companies," said Senator Milne.

"Tony Abbott's mates in the big end of town, in the coal industry in particular, can't cope with the competition from renewable energy.

The Australian Greens say tankers in the Great Barrier Reef pose an unacceptable risk, as storms of greater intensity batter the North Queensland coast.

"The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has come out and said we're no longer predicting the consequences of climate change, we're actually observing them," said Greens Leader Christine Milne.

"Our hearts go out to the people of North Queensland as Cyclone Ita approaches.