Polls now show an Abbott Coalition government is likely after August 21. That will make Eric Abetz government leader in the Senate, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown warned in Hobart today.

"A vote for the Greens in the Senate is the essential safeguard against an Abetz dominated Senate. Australians have to know that if the conservatives pick up one more Senate seat Eric Abetz will control the Senate," Senator Brown said.

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.

If you're unable to view the video above, you can click here to view it on The Circle's site.

Greens Leader Bob Brown has called on Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott to spell out to the nation what their plans are to bring Australia's troops home from Afghanistan.

"Today's international conference in Kabul is discussing removing the NATO force by 2014. What is Australia's position? The Netherlands troops will go home next month," Senator Brown said.

"In this election campaign both Labor and the Coalition should name an exit date.

"Recent polls show most Australians want our defence forces personnel brought safely home," Senator Brown said.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown says that panda diplomacy has a new twist, after Adelaide Zoo pandas Funi and Wang Wang seemed to favour the Greens for Election 2010.

"When I visited the Wolong panda sanctuary in China in 1998 (since wrecked by the 2008 earthquake) I struck up a very good vibe with these iconic fellow mammals.

"Now, in this age of extinction, I'm doing all we Greens can to save the Earth's species - pandas, koalas, wedgetailed eagles and all. I think they're thankful for that," Senator Brown said.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown says an open letter* from Dick Smith about a near-disaster involving two airlines carrying 222 people over Launceston airport in 2008 requires a prompt, clear government response.

"The public needs to know action has been taken to ensure such a near-disaster cannot occur again," Senator Brown said.

"I am not an aviation expert. But these jet airliners were over the Launceston region, in cloud, approaching the same airstrip after the central tower staff had gone home.

A breakthrough in the decades-old community campaign for Tasmania's wild forests should follow the logging industry's hard times, Leader of the Australian Greens Bob Brown said in Hobart today.

"Tony Abbott should explain his plans to cut public spending."

With both the big parties pledging cutbacks, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown today called on Prime Minister Gillard to guarantee public service jobs for Australians.

"The Prime Minister should make clear what the impact of the cutbacks she has announced will be," said Senator Brown. Ms Gillard has said she will implement "unpopular cutbacks."

"Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he will cut 12,000 jobs out of the public service," Senator Brown said.