Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown will deliver a major address at the Global Greens Congress 2012 in Dakar, Senegal.

"There has been a rapid rise of support for the Greens in Africa and there are now more than 20 Green parties across the continent," Senator Brown said.

"This is the third Global Greens Congress, after the conference in Canberra in 2001 established the process, and is the first to be held in Africa. The second Congress was held in Sao Paolo, Brazil, in 2008."

Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown has called on the government to implement all recommendations from the Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) report released today.

Senator Brown recently moved in the Senate to have the IGIS report released but both the Government and Opposition blocked the move.

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.

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.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown today urged Foreign Minister Bob Carr to extract Australian combat troops from Afghanistan this year.

"We should be thinking more independently about our foreign policy. My first entreaty to Senator Carr is: do what you can to bring our troops home from this morass in Afghanistan," Senator Brown said.

"All the polls are showing that the people would support the foreign minister if we bring the troops home."

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has welcomed Bob Carr's nomination for the Foreign Ministry but says he is wrong to want Australia's troops kept in Afghanistan.

"As a new broom, Mr Carr ought to begin by extracting our troops, to bringing them home from the mire in Afghanistan this year," Senator Brown said.

"I look forward to having a foreign minister in the Senate and congratulate the other new appointees of Prime Minister Gillard.

"The elevation of small business to cabinet is a good call," Senator Brown said.

Labor and the Coalition have blocked the Greens' move to reveal what assistance Lynas Corporation got for its rare earths plant in Malaysia, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"Despite ongoing and passionate public protests in Malaysia, not least over the prospect of radioactive by-products, Australia's old parties have closed ranks and the government's files on this internationally contentious issue," Senator Brown said.

Senator Brown had moved:

That the Senate-

(a) notes:

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has called for the Gillard government to seek an injunction in the United States to stop the Japanese whaling slaughter currently underway in Antarctic waters.

A Seattle district court has thrown out an application by Japan for a preliminary injunction to stop Sea Shepherd's anti-whaling campaign. If the case goes to trial the court will hear evidence on the legality or otherwise of whaling.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown moved in the Senate today to condemn human rights abuses in Syria and said China and Russia's veto of the UN Security Council resolution aimed at stemming the bloodshed was reprehensible.

"The world needs to act more strongly to stem the bloodshed," Senator Brown said in Canberra.

"The Greens back the sanctions measures imposed by the Foreign Minister.

"The next question to consider is whether the embassy here in Canberra should be closed, as at present they don't represent decency or democracy."