PM omits climate in poll pitch: Shorten

Bill Shorten has taken a swipe at the prime minister's omission of climate change during the speech that officially kicked off the long, eight-week election campaign.

Malcolm Turnbull, who as opposition leader famously threw his weight behind strong climate change action, left out the policy area from his pitch on Sunday while calling the July 2 poll.

His opponent was quick to accuse Mr Turnbull of brushing climate change from his presentation altogether, telling reporters in Tasmania it was "amazing" it wasn't mentioned.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale accused both major parties of dodging the issue of new coal mines, which the minor party wants to ban.

"We have got a situation where for too long this debate has been mired in the environment versus the economy," he told reporters at an anti-coal mine protest in Newcastle.

"We have the old parties presenting a false choice to the community."

Senator Di Natale accused Mr Turnbull of being silent on the "driver of new jobs", which he says is the transition to clean energy.