Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has called on the government to review the mining tax soon after it begins, with the aim of increasing revenue so that much-needed nation-building reforms such as Gonski's schools funding measures, Denticare, national disability insurance, high-speed rail and a sovereign wealth fund can proceed.

With the Senate set to vote on the mining tax today, Senator Brown has released a letter from the Prime Minister in which the government agrees to new measures to publish more up to date data about what the mining tax will bring in.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown spoke to the media today about the appointment of David Gonski to Chairman of the Future Fund. Greens Health spokesperson Senator Richard Di Natale spoke about the need to move the Future Fund away from investing in Tobacco.

Bob also spoke about the need to take notice of President Hamid Karzai's comments about the recent incidents in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Bob Carr's comments about the Papua New Guinea election, and the mining tax legislation that is before the Senate.

Labor and the Coalition's about-turn on their support for nuclear submarines is a welcome acknowledgment that they made a mistake yesterday in a Senate vote, Australian Greens leader Senator Bob Brown said today.

 Labor and the Coalition yesterday voted against Senator Brown's motion:

 That the Senate reject the proposal, backed by the former Minister for Defence, Mr Peter Reith, for Australia to purchase nuclear submarines serviced in the United States of America (US) or at a US base established in Australia.

 Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown says the government could be setting an example to the world with an efficient tax to ensure Australians get a fair share of the returns from the nation's mineral wealth, and putting aside some of the proceeds in a sovereign wealth fund for the needs of future generations.

 "Australia should take this opportunity to put in place an efficient, forward-thinking resources rent tax that reaps a fair share for this and future generations," Senator Brown said today.

The Gillard government has voted with the Coalition in the Senate today to reject Australian Greens leader Senator Bob Brown's motion:

 That the Senate reject the proposal, backed by the former Minister for Defence, Mr Peter Reith, for Australia to purchase nuclear submarines serviced in the United States of America (US) or at a US base established in Australia.

 "This is a tectonic shift by Labor, if not the Coalition. It opens the way for Labor to purchase nuclear submarines and accept a US nuclear submarine base on the Australian coastline," Senator Brown said.

 Australia is a low-taxing country with scope to increase taxation revenues to ensure our future prosperity, Australian Greens leader Senator Bob Brown said today

"The government has imposed a target on itself of keeping the ratio of tax to GDP below the 2007-08 ratio of 23.7 per cent but in the coming year the ratio is predicted to be only 22.3 per cent," Senator Brown said.

 "If the government kept to its target we would have an extra $22 billion to deal with the challenges facing us.

The government's mining tax is now expected to pass parliament before the end of next week.

In a late afternoon press conference, Greens leader Senator Bob Brown confirmed a deal with the government had been secured in talks today.

The Greens have agreed to give the contentious mining tax the backing it needs to pass the senate during the current two week parliamentary sitting and in return, the government will make public its planned company tax cuts legislation tomorrow.