Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown responds to the Gillard Government's budget update and outlines the Greens' more responsible approach. Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Senator Brown also answered questions about the Gold Pass, the Murray Darling Basin plan and immigration.

"The Gillard Government's plan to balance the books by imposing a higher ‘efficiency dividend', a tired euphemism for public sector cuts, is short-sighted and driven by political constraints," Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown today welcomed the support of the Australian Medical Association, which represents more than 27,000 doctors, for regulations to protect children from junk food advertising.

Senator Brown introduced new legislation into the Senate on Monday - the Protecting Children from Junk Food Advertising (Broadcasting and Telecommunications Amendment) Bill 2011 - as self-regulation by the industry has clearly failed.

The Australian Greens will introduce new legislation on Monday to protect children from junk food advertising, after the Gillard Government and the Opposition wasted an opportunity earlier this year when they blocked Greens legislation despite public support for the Bill and recommendations from health experts.

"We have a burgeoning health crisis of childhood obesity and need to curb the relentless advertising of unhealthy foods to children," Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Melbourne.

The Australian Greens are committed to ensuring public education is the priority of any new Commonwealth funding system.

"Today's National Day of Action for Public Education highlights the strong levels of support for greater federal funding for public schools," Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today in Hobart.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown appeared on ABC News Breakfast to discuss the political budget surplus, the Afghanistan conflict, dental care, preferencing of votes, and the Australian Greens National Conference.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown, Senator for Queensland Larissa Waters, Senators for Western Australia Rachel Siewert and Scott Ludlam, and Member for Melbourne Adam Bandt spoke to the media about the Australian Greens National Conference in Fremantle, WA.

Topics included the allocation of preferences, the environmental threats posed by developments in the Kimberley, and the Nationals' call for a "discussion paper" on coal seam gas. 

1 September marks one year since the Australian Greens signed an historic agreement with Prime Minister Julia Gillard's Labor Government.

The Gillard agreement has achieved outcomes for Australians in terms of passage of bills and lack of confrontation between the houses. We have consultation instead of confrontation.