Greens Leader Bob Brown says childhood obesity, raising the aged pension, stronger workplace rights and ending logging as a first step to tackling climate change are priorities for the Greens in the new Parliament.
At today's declaration of the Senate election in Hobart, Senator Brown said the Greens' Senate vote had soared from 917,000 in 2004 to 1,100,000 in 2007. The party won official party status and will have five Senate seats from July 1, 2007.
"Rudd Labor will be conservative socially, fiscally and ecologically," Senator Brown said.
"Its first test, before sittings resume, is to refuse final approval to Gunns' pulp mill in January – and that must lead to an end to logging and burning Australia's native forests," Senator Brown said.
Senator Brown said he would lead Senate moves to challenge Rudd Labor on:
· WorkChoices Reform. "Labor is going from WorkChoices to weak choices. The Greens will amend Labor's bill to guarantee parental leave."
· Childhood obesity. "Despite Health Minister Roxon's dismissive stand, the Greens will introduce legislation to ban junk food advertising during children's television viewing hours."
· A $30 a week increase in the aged pension. "While Rudd Labor pursues $31 billion tax cuts in the May 08 budget, we will pursue a minimum $30 a week increase to lift 2 million Australian pensioners off the poverty line."
"In Tasmania the Greens scored a record 18.13% of the Senate vote and Greens anti-pulp mill preferences were essential to Labor winning its third Senate seat as well as all 5 House seats."
"Tasmania is the one state in which Labor's vote went backwards. The pulp mill was the issue. It is a clear message from voters to Labor – the Lennon state government will go the same way as the Howard government if it continues to put the big end of town ahead of the public's opposition to the pulp mill," Senator Brown said.