Coalition won't back Greens' CSG bill

(AAP) - The federal coalition will not support Australian Greens legislation giving farmers the right to deny coal seam gas miners access to their land.
The Greens had been hoping to win coalition backing for their move following comments made by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott on Friday.
Mr Abbott said farmers had "a right to say no" if they did not want miners to come onto their land to explore and extract coal seam gas.
But on Monday, he said the opposition would not support the Greens.
"We won't support the Greens because the Greens are just against mining full stop," Mr Abbott told reporters in Canberra.
"They are particularly against the coal industry that they want to close down."
Mr Abbott said land use decisions were a matter for state governments.
While he supported the mining industry, the opposition leader said it should not ignore farmers' rights.
"It's important that we come to a balanced approach which acknowledges the importance of the mining industry to Australia's economic future but which protects prime agricultural land and respects the rights of farmers," he said.