Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has expressed serious alarm at the takeover of security duties by Chinese agents in Wellington leading to physical intervention on NZ Greens Co-Leader Dr Russell Norman this morning.

"I hope the New Zealand government has more spine than the Howard government had in 2003 when it facilitated armed secret service agents of China directing people inside Parliament House in Canberra," Senator Brown said.

The Australian Greens will move for an amendment to section 96 of the Constitution - the section which sets out that the Commonwealth may grant financial assistance to the states on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit - to add the words ‘and local government'.

Addressing the Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly today Senator Brown said that recognising local government in the Constitution is ALP policy and was a promise made by Mr. Rudd in the 2007 election campaign.

"But there's been no action," said Senator Brown.

"Australians will totally understand President Obama's decision not to visit given the huge environmental catastrophe continuing in the Gulf," Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Hobart today.

"Australians will want Obama to stay in the United States until the situation in under control. We will appreciate his visit all the more when it comes," Senator Brown said.

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The 15 ministerial posts and Deputy Prime Ministership obtained by the Liberal Democrats in their deal with the UK conservative Cameron government highlights the absurdity of Tasmania's Liberals refusing to talk with the Greens after Tasmania's March election says Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown.

"The UK deal also shows up the media and political commertariat's small mindedness in Tasmania in its 2004 tirade on former Greens Leader Peg Putt's proposition that the Greens Leader be deputy in a future coalition government."

Leader of the Australian Greens Bob Brown said the Rudd government was treating the Senate with contempt following the release of the latest Senate program which lists 74 packages of bills to be debated over only ten sitting days.

Senator Brown said that despite the huge list of legislation, the government was still refusing to negotiate with the Greens in the Senate on a range of issues, including a carbon tax.

"Strangely, the government has not listed the Private Health Insurance rebate or any legislation to deal with its health reform package," Senator Brown said.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has congratulated the Liberals new Senate leadership team of Senator Eric Abetz and Senator George Brandis.

However Senator Brown says it marks a clear drift to the right in Australian big party politics.

"Both these appointments make even more stark the Greens' place in the Senate as the voice of progressive Australian politics in 2010," said Senator Brown.

The Greens will introduce national independent anti-corruption commission legislation in the Senate next week, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Adelaide today.

Senator Brown called on South Australian Premier Mike Rann to back the national legislation and establish a South Australian independent commission for anti-corruption (ICAC).

"Australia needs an independent national anti-corruption commission, to operate alongside state schemes," said Senator Brown.

"A national ICAC would not replace a South Australian ICAC.

The Australian Greens will move to amend trade practice laws to ban Australian banks from charging $2 fees for non-customers to use Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs).

Announcing the policy in Devonport, Tasmania, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown noted that Braddon is one of Australia's most economically disadvantaged electorates.

"Major banks should be banned from charging non-customers $2 every time they want to access their own money," said Senator Bob Brown

"It's a regressive private tax - that is, it hits the poorest people hardest.