A deal on reforms to better protect Australia's natural sites while speeding up major project approvals is unlikely to be struck soon, as the government faces calls to overhaul different parts of the legislation.

Labor plans to introduce big changes to the nation's environment laws into parliament on Thursday and hopes to pass the legislation by the end of the year, but doesn't have the Senate numbers to do so on its own.

Environment Minister Murray Watt has been negotiating with the coalition and Greens but on Monday played down prospects of an imminent agreement.

"It'd be pretty unusual to strike a deal on a bill like this before it's even been introduced to the parliament," he told reporters in Canberra.

Senator Watt insisted he was open to working with the opposition or the Greens

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