Transcript is after the break

Ladies and Gentlemen

I acknowledge the traditional owners of the Canberra region and all the Indigenous people of Australia.

This Friday, 1 July, is the 28th anniversary of the High Court judgement which stopped the Franklin Dam. But in the preceding week of 1983, Tasmania recorded the lowest temperatures in history. It snowed heavily to sea level. The bulldozers in the Franklin and Gordon Valley were stopped. So, Mother Nature got into the act ahead of the High Court!

Senator Bob Brown outlines the Australian Greens' pursuit of its proposal for a hybrid scheme: a fixed carbon price which increases over time, as a first step, followed by an emissions-trading scheme.

Senator Brown also talks about the good outcomes achieved for solar energy, affordable housing and education after negotiations with the Government on the flood levy that the Greens will support in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The Australian Greens will support the flood levy in the House of Representatives and the Senate after important gains from the Government on their proposed funding cuts.

Greens Leader Bob Brown, Deputy Leader Christine Milne and MP Adam Bandt took their concerns directly to the government and negotiated a good outcome that will release funding for flood recovery and protect key programs.

The Australian Greens will support the flood levy in the House of Representatives and the Senate after important gains from the Government on their proposed funding cuts, Greens Leader Bob Brown, Deputy Leader Christine Milne and MP Adam Bandt said in Canberra today.

“The Greens have taken our concerns directly to the government and have negotiated a good outcome that will release funding for flood recovery and protect key programs,” Senator Brown said.

The Greens opposed the second reading of the Social Security Amendment (Income Support for Regional Students) Bill 2010 and I want to explain our position as far as not just this legislation is concerned but also the new configuration that we have in this parliament with a minority government and a balance of power shared by, at the moment, a number of entities in the Senate.

Greens Leader Bob Brown said today his aim is to give Australia progressive and prosperous governance in 2011, beginning with work towards a Gillard government carbon price to tackle global warming, stimulate the economy and generate new business opportunities.

"Amid more extreme weather events, which are occurring more frequently, the new year gives Australians a chance to think beyond ‘sides' and embrace effective, innovative and green ways of building a future for the developed economy that is most at risk from global warming," Senator Brown said.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today that $2.5 billion per annum is a much lower-than-expected cost for free tertiary education. The figure is part of a Senate release of information which the Greens supported.

"It is everybody's right in this great country of ours in the 21st century to get a tertiary education. We should go for it.  It is a long-held Greens policy and we will be pursuing it strongly," Senator Brown said in Hobart.

At this National Press Club I acknowledge the traditional owners of the Canberra region and all the Indigenous people of our nation.

This year will be another milestone in politics for the Australian Greens. The sole balance of power in the Senate and a breakthrough into the House of Representatives are both within reach. Australia's voters are looking for more progressive politics and the stable, experienced leadership which we alone have produced over the past three turbulent years in Canberra.