Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown says the public should hear directly from the Greens in any leaders' debates before the election.

"The psephologists are predicting the Greens will most likely hold the balance of power in the Senate after the election, so we should be in the debate," Senator Brown said.

"The Greens leaders are included in Europe and Canada, and the public is provided with a much wider choice of ideas as well as a livelier debate."

The loss to the public purse of $7.5 billion from the budget as a result of Prime Minister Gillard's mining industry back down is a disgrace which will only get worse in the years after 2013, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"That's $7.5 billion which small business, schools, hospitals, public housing and transport won't have and these figures indicate that more than $4 billion will be drained out of every future budget because of the Gillard Government's post-Rudd back-down to the mining barons," Senator Brown said.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown says that today's Climate Institute report shows the Greens' policy of a carbon tax will save households and businesses money as power costs soar, helped by federal government and opposition inaction.

"The old parties' inaction is locking in more expensive electricity production which, this report says, means an extra $60 per year per household by 2020. This does not factor in the much greater costs to the economy of worsening climate change."

Greens leader Bob Brown, in Toowoomba today, is calling on Environment Minister Garrett to place a moratorium on coal seam gas mining and exploration until adequate environmental protections are in place.

"The rich farming land and vital water of the Surat Basin is worth around $2 billion, and should not be put at risk by the rapid, and hazardous, expansion of the coal seam (CSG) mining industry," Senator Brown said.

Massive expansion plans for the Abbot Point coal export facility near Bowen, Queensland, will undergo Senate scrutiny on environment, economic and employment grounds, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Mackay today.

"Clive Palmer and Gina Rinehart may urge Canberra to back massive public funding of the rail and port plans which are part of the proposed future export of more than 200 mega tonnes of coal per annum. But that's the equivalent of more than one quarter of all Australian greenhouse gas emissions due to come out of China via Abbot Point," Senator Brown said.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has written to Treasury secretary Ken Henry asking how much tax will be peeled off by the miners in the Gillard deal announced yesterday (letter available).

"After a one billion dollar gain in 2012-13, this deal shaves 2.5 billion off government income in 2013-14, and presumably, even more in subsequent years. So, 25 billion at least will be lost to the public purse per decade", Senator Brown said in Townsville this morning.

Australia's job-rich small business sector will pay 29% tax rather than 28% to fund the Gillard government's backdown to mining corporations Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Hobart this morning. That will cost thousands of jobs in the future economy.

"The Greens will ensure full scrutiny is applied to this deal with the mining corporations through a Senate committee. The Greens will be looking at the detail and seeking to improve the dividend for Australians from the mining boom," Senator Brown said.

Whatever deal is done between the Prime Minister and the mining barons, the Australian Parliament will have the final say on the new mining tax, Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown said in Sydney today in response to Rio Tinto's Sam Walsh's call for a guarantee that the mining tax deal would remain intact post-election.

"Beyond its own bailiwick, the government cannot meet the miners' demands that the looming mining tax deal be guaranteed."

Today's Australian story entitled ‘Greens carbon tax proposal ridiculed' and subsequent editorial verbals the Greens and falsely claims the call for a carbon tax is conditional on Julia Gillard shutting down the coal-fired power industry.

Reporter Matthew Franklin did not seek an interview with Greens Leader Bob Brown. He spoke to no other Greens Senator for the concocted story.

"Franklin and the paper are out to mislead their readers over the Greens' carbon tax proposal," Senator Bob Brown said today.

Australian Greens Senators, Bob Brown and Christine Milne are delighted to announce Dr Geoff Couser as the Greens federal candidate for Denison.

Dr Couser comes to the Greens as a staff emergency specialist at the Royal Hobart Hospital and a passionate spokesperson for Tasmania's unique environment.

"Geoff Couser will be a great and true representative for the people of Denison," says Senator Brown.

"Dr Couser will be a strong performer in parliament. He will bring a fair, balanced and sensible voice to a lower house that is dominated by the two old parties,"