Nats MP in hot water over tweet

A government backbencher accused of pre-empting the outcome of a parliamentary inquiry into environmental groups has defended his comments made on social media.

Conservation groups have accused George Christensen - who is part of an inquiry into whether some environmental groups should lose their tax deductibility status - of unparliamentary behaviour after suggesting in a tweet the practice would be curbed.

But Mr Christensen has told ABC radio it's appropriate to come to such a conclusion before the inquiry has reported because of what's already been heard, and some groups should be "very nervous".