The Senate has passed a censure motion moved by Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown over the Rudd Government's mishandling of climate change programs.

An amended version of the censure motion moved by Senator Brown today was passed by the Greens and the Coalition and will now be conveyed to the House of Representatives.

This is the first time a formal censure of the Government has been passed by the Senate since 2005.

The final text of the censure motion by Senator Bob Brown was:

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown will today move in the Senate to censure the Government for its gross and systematic failure in the delivery of climate change programs.

The motion will also call for the establishment of a unified Ministry and Department of Climate Change and Energy.

The motion will be moved at approximately 3pm, following Question Time.

No censure motion has been moved or passed in the Senate in this term of office, and no censure motion has been passed in either House of Parliament since 2005.

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown says he's "absolutely delighted" with the selection of Lin Hatfield Dodds to lead the Greens Senate team in the ACT for this year's federal election.

"Ms Hatfield Dodds is former ACT Australian of the year nominee, and has been a successful CEO for a number of charitable and non government organisations," said Senator Brown.

"Lin is extremely intelligent and humane with an abiding concern for lifestyle and the environment.

The Labor party has abandoned Higgins and Bradfield and now newly installed Liberal Leader Tony Abbott has shunned them too, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"Tony Abbott's decision to not visit both electorates is an insult to the voters of Higgins and Bradfield."

"They now have an opportunity to send a message to the Liberal party on climate change and to support a strong Green candidate - Susie Gemmell in Bradfield and Clive Hamilton in Higgins."

With its sharp right turn to Tony Abbott as leader, the coalition has left small-L liberal voters to back the Greens, sending a message to Canberra, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"From human rights to social justice, including issues important to women, support for better funding for public health and education and protection of Australia's environment, the Greens now represent the fair-minded alternative to Labor for Australian voters."

The government and native forest logger's bullying of the Green Building
Council to allow timber from clearfelled native forests as 'green' is
the deathknell of the Council's authenticity, Australian Greens Leader
Bob Brown said today.

"Timber ripped by Gunns out of Tasmania's ancient forests, habitat for
endangered species and ecosystems, will now get the Council's 'green'
imprimatur. It is a farce."

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has called on the media to allow released hostages Nigel Brennan and Amanda Lindhout time to recover in private and to enjoy reuniting with their loved ones.

"It is well known that, after long confinement, the glare of publicity just when freedom comes can be very distressing with long term traumatic consequences. I ask the media to give them a fair go," Senator Brown said.

Media contact: Peter Stahel 0433 005 727

Labor, the Liberals and Nationals this afternoon voted together against this motion:

That the Senate deplores the use of overseas tax havens.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown, in moving the motion, told the Senate that the tax havens (he listed 32) were used for massive tax avoidance. Honest Australian tax payers pay more taxes to make up for this avoidance. He noted reports that the Future Fund has invested in tax havens and that former treasurer Peter Costello had been appointed to the fund.

Media contact: Peter Stahel 0433 005 727

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown says he will move for the third time for a Senate inquiry into the RBA subsidiary Securency and Note Printing Australia when the Senate resumes sitting this week.

Following the raids in Melbourne on Friday, Senator Brown said: "The political dimensions of this scandal need scrutiny while the police investigations in Australia and overseas proceed. At stake here is the reputation of the Reserve Bank itself because members of its board were in key positions of governance over the subsidiaries."

Following the arrest of Peter Cundall at today's pulp mill protest on the steps of parliament in Hobart, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said:

"Isn't it bloomin' marvellous that the Tasmanian state has diverted police from other duties to arrest our anti-pulp mill gardener?"

Media contact: Peter Stahel 0433 005 727