Greens leader could mean fresh start: PM

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is hopeful negotiating government legislation through the Senate will become easier following the election of a new Greens leader.

Mr Abbott acknowledged it was possible that under Richard Di Natale's leadership the minor party's opposition to automatic indexation of the fuel excise could be reversed.

"Maybe the Greens will become the constructive negotiating partners that the public want the parliamentary cross bench to be," he told Melbourne 3AW Radio on Thursday.