Di Natale launches Greens campaign

Greens leader Richard Di Natale has launched his election campaign promising to take Australia forward while Labor and the coalition remain "stuck in the past".

Speaking at an anti-coal protest in Newcastle, Senator Di Natale said the Greens would lead the economic debate with a plan for a renewable energy economy that would create tens of thousands of jobs.

While Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was kicking off his election campaign at a mine - commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Beaconsfield disaster - Senator Di Natale said the Greens were standing with the community to protest against new coal mines.

"For too long this debate has been mired in the environment versus the economy, that is a false choice," he told reporters on Sunday.

"We've got two old parties stuck in the past ... holding us back."

Senator Di Natale accused the two major parties of standing with vested interests when it comes to climate policy.

The Greens are committed to ending "unfair tax breaks", and to offering decency and compassion to asylum seekers.

Senator Di Natale was confident the Greens would unseat senior Labor figure Anthony Albanese in the inner Sydney seat of Grayndler and snag the NSW seat of Richmond, as well as another Senate seat in NSW.