Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown spoke to press gallery journalists this evening about Senator Brandis' secret "recusal" from the Senate's powerful privileges committee, only recently revealed in a letter to Senator Brown's and Deputy Leader Christine Milne's legal counsel.

The so-called Minister for the Environment, Tony Burke, today turned on environmentalists in Tasmania and backed the logging of Tasmania's native forests, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said.

"He is lambasting Tasmanians who - following a trail of local and foreign loggers - have gone to Tokyo and London to background importers about the iconic forests like the Styx Valley where Mr Burke camped out last year.

"He is converting into an advocate for the chainsaws," Senator Brown said.

Long-term conservationist and campaigner for wilderness, peace and the urban environment, Peter Brain, died yesterday in Hobart aged 82.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has had further discussions with senior officials of the Gillard Government in pursuit of freight equalisation, seeking practical measures to aid Tasmanian businesses in response to concerns brought to his attention by business owners.

"The Greens, in response to business owners, have proposed that the federal Government equalise freight and passenger subsidies for Bass Strait to link Tasmania to the national highway system," Senator Brown said today in Canberra.

The clock is ticking for Tasmania's ancient forests and today people around Australia, and globally, are coming together to stand up for our majestic forests. The actions of one person can be powerful, as is the case with Miranda Gibson.

Please join us.

Forestry workers have every right to protest, but they should steer clear of violence and harassment if they want community respect, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"Harassment by forestry workers and their supporters this week in Launceston and Huonville should not be tolerated by our political and community leaders.

"I expect those people who have whipped up the misinformation campaign about conservationists over the past few days to renounce any form of violence.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown spoke at Senate doors today about Four Corners, doodling, Tony Burke's attempt to rejig history on the August 2011 Intergovernmental Agreement on forests, and the Greens' defence of universal healthcare and push for more funding for dental care.

Environment Minister Tony Burke has issued a statement rewriting Julia Gillard's 7 August 2011 promise to "immediately" protect Tasmania's iconic forests. Burke enlisted the backing of three other ministers.

In a move paralleling the Legislative Council's self-defeating Franklin Dam breach of precedence in 1980, most Councillors have moved to selectively ban environmental lobbying of overseas companies, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"A High Court challenge to the Council on the right of Australians to free speech would see all 12 Councillors found in breach of the Australian Constitution. It's poorly thought out blackmail," Senator Brown said in Canberra.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has talked to Treasurer Wayne Swan about a proposal from Tasmanian businesses to equalise freight and passenger subsidies for Bass Strait to link Tasmania to the national highway system.

"I passed on a summary of the proposal to the Treasurer for consideration during a meeting this week in Canberra," Senator Brown said today.