The federal government has been accused of trying to bury Australia's carbon emissions data by a leading climate change think-tank.

Analysis suggests the government has at times delayed releasing crucial pollution information for many months, and timed its greenhouse gas data releases on days such as Christmas Eve and the Friday afternoon before the AFL and NRL finals weekends.

The government has strenously denied acting in an inappropriate manner and that such emission reports are "routinely" held back for internal consideration before release.

But Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie told nine.com.au the Department of Environment's actions are a "disappointing" attempt to avoid robust analysis of Australia's rising greenhouse gas emissions.

Night time image Loy Yang of Power Station in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria. (AAP)

"The government story to the public has been 'we've got climate change under control and we are doing something about our pollution'. But of course what these figures tell us is the opposite is true, that in fact pollution is rising year-on-year," Ms McKenzie said.

Australia's emissions have climbed 1.3 percent to their highest quarterly levels in eight years, the latest data revealed. Annual emissions have been on the increase since 2013.

A recent FOI request by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) showed the federal government sat on the latest greenhouse gas report for almost two months.

The Department of Environment's quarterly Update of Australia's National Greenhouse Gas Inventory was eventually released on September 29, seven weeks after it was first sent to now Environment Minister Melissa Price, who recently took over ministerial duties from Josh Frydenberg.

Critics claim that release was purposefully timed to fall on the eve of an NRL and AFL finals weekend, where sport would dominate the news cycle. It was also a long holiday weekend in some states.

Ms McKenzie said the department's delayed released of the data "follows a pattern".

Australian Minister for the Environment Melissa Price speaks during House of Representatives Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra (AAP)

An earlier FOI by the ACF showed in 2016 and 2017 the government had sat on almost a year's worth of emissions data for months after it was ready.

Last year the department's quarterly emissions report went out in the week leading up to Christmas, while in 2015 the data was made public on Christmas Eve. This year the Department of Environment issued another of its quarterly greenhouse gas reports in the days following the federal budget announcement in May.

Environment Minister, Melissa Price, told nine.com.au that "ministers routinely and appropriately consider briefs for a period of time".

Ms Price said the department provided "advice" to her on September 3. The FOI showed the Department of Environment sent Ms Price, who at the time was the assistant Environment Minister, the full greenhouse gas report on August 9.

Australia is committed to a responsible path to reducing emissions, Ms Price stated.

The Beltana number 1 mine, an open cast or drift coal mine managed by Xstrata coal in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. (AAP)

In August, now departed prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, at the time under intense internal party pressure, retreated from plans to legislate climate change targets pledged by Australia under the Paris agreement.

The federal government have long claimed it is on track to cut greenhouse gas emissions and meet the 2030 target of a 26-28% emissions cut below 2005 levels.

New prime minister Scott Morrison has said the Paris target can be achieved "in a canter".

However, Climate Council boss Ms McKenzie disagreed, saying: "It looks like we are not going to meet our commitments to tackling climate change."

In a statement, ACF chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy claimed the government was trying to limit attention on Australia's growing carbon emissions.

She accused the Morrison government of having "no plan to cut climate pollution".