Greens leader's advice to Turnbull

Greens leader Richard Di Natale has not met Malcolm Turnbull since he became prime minister, but has outlined the areas in which the minor party is willing to work with the new-look government.

The Greens believe $35 billion worth of savings can be unlocked by cracking down on superannuation tax concessions, negative gearing and capital gains discounts and by abolishing fuel tax credits for miners.

But there will be no horse-trading on any plan to withhold welfare from young people.

The Greens leader surprised many this year by supporting the government's pension changes to tighten eligibility for wealthier seniors.

Senator Di Natale believes that is proof he is serious about compromising on measures he considers to be in the interests of the nation.

"We will work with whoever we need to work with if we believe we can get a good outcome," he told the National Press Club on Wednesday.

Senator Di Natale has spoken briefly over the phone with the new prime minister and says he is looking forward to meeting him face to face.

But he has issued words of advice to Mr Turnbull about the importance of standing up to the "dinosaurs" in his party on climate change and gay marriage.

The Victorian senator, who is four months into the party leadership job, says it is one thing for Mr Turnbull to talk about change but another to deliver.

"Whether the new prime minister can deliver will depend on whether he's done a pact with dinosaurs that have locked him into the Abbott government's agenda," he said.

Eventually Mr Turnbull will need to put some "meat on those bones".

"My only advice to Malcolm Turnbull is this, is that there are very few things as dangerous in politics as high expectations without the capacity or conviction to deliver on those expectations."

While they might have different stances on certain issues, Senator Di Natale and Mr Turnbull share a trait in that they are both leaders who have never been to an election in that role.