Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown today launched a suite of measures to assist small businesses.

The launch with ACT Greens Senate candidate Lin Hatfield-Dodds was at a restaurant in suburban Canberra.

Senator Brown said that small businesses were the power-house of employment in Australia, providing jobs for 5 million people.

Senator Brown is advocating a change to banking laws to help small businesses and flagged new opportunities in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industry.

The Greens are now the only party with a credible plan to tackle climate change, the biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef, said Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown.

In Brisbane today to launch the campaign of Australian Greens Queensland Senate candidate Larissa Waters, Senator Brown said without fast action to tackle climate change and acidification of the reef, as well as dangers from oil spills and water pollution, the Great Barrier Reef would die.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office have produced a Google Earth map displaying the impacts of a 4º C temperature rise across the earth.

It highlights why temperature rise must be kept below 2º C

You will need the Google Earth plugin for your browser to view the interactive map. You can download it here

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.

The Australian Greens want action now on a carbon price set by legislation as critical for climate change action Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Canberra today.

"Energy efficiency, renewable energy measures and saving forests - as already put to Parliament by the Greens - are needed but are not substitutes for a carbon price," said Senator Brown.

"There is an estimated $50 billion investment in electricity production awaiting a carbon price signal.

"We are ready to set this signal with either a Gillard or Abbott Government after the election.

The Australian Government is holding back Timor-Leste from developing its own energy security, said Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown.

With Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos Horta in Parliament today, Senator Brown called on the Australian Government to commit to assisting Timor-Leste to develop a clean energy future.

“The Australian Government is not supporting a gas pipeline to connect the Greater Sunrise field to Timor-Leste, which would assist the young nation to develop its own fuel source and related industries,” said Senator Brown.

Senator Bob Brown has delivered The Australian Greens 2010/2011 budget reply speech.

The video of the speech is below.

Alternatively, the speech is transcribed in full below the video.

If you are unable to see the video, please update your browser with the latest Flash plugin here.

BOB BROWN: Yeah it’s pretty nasty on the environment, and it’s very short term. I think it’s rained over the last year and the government has said: ‘well that’s the end of the problems with climate change and other environmental problems facing the country, so let’s cut on environment’. So there’s more than  a billion dollars cut out of environmental spending, which is already a Cinderella, always has been during the Howard years.