Port councillors voted on May 12 to defer the item after its author, mayor Bruce MacKenzie, missed the meeting due to personal reasons.

The minute also calls for the allocation of $100,000 to remove dangerous and/or inappropriate trees from council roads and reserves, and a review - with report - of council's street tree planting guidelines.

The proposal has come under fire from EcoNetwork Port Stephens and The Greens.

"It's deeply disappointing to see a mayor using a natural disaster like the recent storm, in which it is natural for some trees to fall over, to ram through a mechanism which will have the effect of assisting property developers and homeowners just wanting to improve their view while also reducing koala habitat." said Greens spokeswoman Rochelle Flood.

"We support a full and rational assessment of the council's tree policy, and given that residents can already remove dangerous trees the obvious question is why is mayor MacKenzie pushing this proposal?"

Cr Paul Le Mottee branded The Greens' accusation as "complete nonsense".

He said it was impossible to predict which tress would fall over in a violent storm.

"Surely The Greens believe people have the right to protect themselves even if they [Greens] don't believe in the right to protect your property," Cr Le Mottee said.

"As for the need for immediate action, for every tree that fell during the last storm, there were another 10 pushed to breaking point.

"Until such a time as science progresses to the point where it can be accurately predicted which trees will fall and which trees will stay, I will support any action that allows people to protect themselves."

He said his family was lucky to escape when a tree outside the 10/50 rule fell on his property during the April 21 storm.

"Had that tree fallen towards the house, it would have crushed my wife, myself and at least one of my daughters," he said.