The Australian Greens will push the federal government to provide a significant funding boost for public schools to ensure they set the benchmark for education standards said Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown at the national Public Education Forum in Canberra today.

Announcing two initiatives to provide new funding aimed to address the crisis in teaching and school resources, Senator Brown said that the Australian Greens would campaign in the lead up to the federal election and afterwards in the Senate to ensure every child has access to a high quality education.

Contrary to Labor spin, the Australian Greens' support for the Rudd government's $42 billion economic stimulus package has resulted in Tasmanian schools, including the Catholic and independent schools sharing in $439 millions for new classrooms, libraries and other amenities.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said that the Liberals opposed the package outright.

"But the Greens got it through the Senate," Senator Brown said.

Greens Leader Bob Brown has released a letter from Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard outlining measures to ensure thousands of low-income university students get the $950 student payment in this week's government economic stimulus package.

The Government and the Greens have agreed to amendments to the $42 billion economic stimulus package, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"We have improved this package to create thousands of green jobs in communities across Australia," Senator Brown said.

"These involve approximately half a billion dollars and will create thousands of local green jobs and provide greater assistance to unemployed and low-income Australians."

Today Bob gave notice that he will re-introduce the Protecting Children from Junk Food Advertising (Broadcasting Amendment) Bill 2008, to ban junk food advertising during children's TV viewing hours. The bill was first introduced by Democrats Senator Lyn Allison.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown today gave notice that he will re-introduce the Democrats' Protecting Children from Junk Food Advertising (Broadcasting Amendment) Bill 2008 to ban junk food advertising during children's TV viewing hours.

"Access Economics estimates the cost of obesity to the community is $58 billion a year. Only 1 per cent of food advertising promotes healthy food. The other 99 per cent promotes fast food, soft drinks, ice cream and other junk food," Senator Brown said.

Greens Leader Bob Brown will move an amendment to the Communications Legislation Amendments (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2008 (CLAMM) in the senate today, banning junk food advertising during children's TV viewing hours.
"The Greens' amendment will introduce a national ban on junk food advertising during children's television. The current advertising regulations are inadequate and no longer meet community needs or standards," Senator Brown said.

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.

Australia should establish a World Bushfire Centre for research and management of the worsening bushfire danger due to climate change, Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Hobart today.
 
Senator Brown said a permanent, expert centre could co-ordinate research and assist in the prevention and management of bushfires in Australia and around the world. 
 

Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown has labelled the tax cuts and spending programs of the Coalition and the ALP as inflationary.
 
"Both John Howard and Kevin Rudd are spending to win the election, not to secure the nation's future," Senator Brown said.
 
"If you inject money in the form of tax cuts into an overheated economy you get inflationary pressure. It is far better to put that money into infrastructure and services such as health, education and public transport instead of tax cuts."