Tony Abbott's government must not cave into pressure from the miners to defund legal rights groups, say the Australian Greens.

Australian Greens spokesperson for legal affairs Senator Penny Wright has written to Attorney General George Brandis urging him to resist calls from the mining lobby to defund the Environmental Defender's Office.

"The Environmental Defenders Office is the only thing standing between state governments and a rubber stamp for mining approvals," Senator Wright said.

Almost three quarters of South Australians want Kangaroo Island to be protected from planned oil and gas drilling, according to polling data released by the Australian Greens today.

A Lonergan poll of 1582 South Australians found only 16 per cent of voters supported the Bight Petroleum proposal for oil and gas exploration in the Kangaroo Island Canyon and Pools.

Q. Do you think the coast of Kangaroo Island should be protected from planned oil and gas drilling?

The majority (72%) of South Australian voters believe the coast of Kangaroo Island should be protected from planned oil and gas drilling. 12 % were unsure, and 16% believed it should be allowed.

Taking out those who were unsure, 82% of South Australians wanted Kangaroo Island to be protected.

Australian Greens Senator for South Australia says today's decision to force a proposal for oil and gas exploration off the coast of Kangaroo Island through a Federal environmental assesment is a big win for community campaigning.

Senator Wright has worked extensively with the community on this campaign and says Environment Minister Tony Burke's decision today was one step closer to recognising Kangaroo Island is too precious to lose.

The future of the Kangaroo Island community is again in the hands of Environment Minister Tony Burke as he decides on a second application for oil and gas exploration off the Island's coast, says Senator for South Australia, Senator Penny Wright.

Senator Wright said Minister Burke should listen to community calls to reject Bight Petroleum's resubmitted application outright for failing to address previously-raised concerns.

"Minister Burke has now received over 20,000 emails calling on him to reject this proposal and recognise Kangaroo Island is too precious to lose.

Bight Petroleum’s proposal was released yesterday, leaving the Kangaroo Island community concerned about oil and gas exploration in their backyard and with only a handful of days to act, says South Australian Senator Penny Wright.

The mining company yesterday submitted a new application to conduct seismic exploration off the west coast of Kangaroo Island, following the public release of a number of documents last week.

Seismic testing off the coast of Kangaroo Island would risk serious environmental and economic damage at any time of year, says South Australian Senator Penny Wright.

Oil and gas exploration company Bight Petroleum this morning announced intentions to withdraw and resubmit an application to conduct seismic testing near Kangaroo Island to alter the proposed timeframe.

"Seismic testing involves shooting extremely loud blasts of compressed air through the ocean every ten seconds, 24 hours a day, for weeks on end," Senator Wright said.

The Kangaroo Island community remains in limbo after mining company Bight Petroleum failed to publicly release documents relating to oil and gas exploration in nearby waters, says Senator for South Australia Penny Wright.

Last month Environment Minister Tony Burke declared the company's application a controlled action and ordered Bight Petroleum release all preliminary documentation to the public for scrutiny within 20 working days. This deadline has now passed.