New Greens leader Adam Bandt wants to impose a new billion-dollar levy on big polluters to fund a doubling of paid firefighters in Australia.

Mr Bandt will call for a levy on coal, gas and oil producers of $1 per tonne of carbon dioxide in his first policy announcement as leader. The Melbourne MP said this will generate an extra $1.5 billion a year and can be used to fund almost 16,000 new regional and metropolitan fire services jobs.

New Greens leader Adam Bandt, pictured with co-deputy leader Larissa Waters, wants to impose a new levy on coal companies to pay for more firefighters. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

"The Greens are the firefighters of Australian politics. We are the only ones recognising it's a climate emergency and acting like the house is on fire," Mr Bandt said. "Our emergency services need to be equipped to fight the climate emergency."

The Greens leader said Australia's firefighters were "exhausted" by the intensity and duration of the fire season. He said creating new paid jobs would open up careers for volunteer firefighters "to serve their community, and keep our lives, property and habitat safe".