Australian Greens Senators Bob Brown & Rachel Siewert, alongside independent Senator Nick Xenophon, announce successful negotiations for the Alcopops tax Bill.

The Minister for Health has refused a Greens' plea for less than 2 percent of it's expected 'alcopops tax' income of $1.6 billion over the next 4 years to go to helping remediate binge drinking.

The Government has agreed to the Greens' request to have warnings on alcohol advertising, but refused a request for $20 million fund for harm reduction and prevention measures for local sports and community groups to replace alcohol sponsorship of sports and an alcohol 'hot line' to help drinkers in trouble.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown today led off debate on the Protecting Children from Junk Food Advertising Bill 2009 in the Senate.

However, outside the Chamber the Government has made it clear it will not allow a vote on the bill. Senator Brown told the Senate this is a serious strategic mistake by Labor strategists as the Greens have worked hard to expedite important Government legislation in recent months.

Self-regulation by advertisers of junk food does not work and will not solve Australia's childhood obesity epidemic, according to Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown.
Speaking during a Senate inquiry into a proposed ban on junk food advertising on children's television and in schools, Senator Brown said that the industry proposals for self-regulation were aimed at preventing a legislated ban on junk food ads aimed at children.

The Australian and New Zealand Green Parties announced today they will work together to improve food labelling laws in New Zealand and Australia over the next three years, by seeking to introduce parallel legislation in both countries, and other initiatives.

Senator Bob Brown, leader of the Australian Green Party, said food labelling was a unique area for trans-Tasman Green cooperation because both countries share joint food labelling standards, which are developed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) based in Canberra.

The Australian Greens will press ahead with legislation for a total ban on junk food advertisements on children's TV, saying that a proposed new voluntary industry code does not go far enough.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown said The Greens' legislation would ban junk food advertisements from Australian television during children's viewing hours, and also would ban junk food ads in schools.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown will today introduce a bill to overturn the ban on territory governments' right to legislate for death with dignity.

"Yesterday the new Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull declared the Liberal party stood for freedom of choice and respect for the individual," Senator Brown said.

"The Greens bill will restore the rights of Territory parliaments to assist terminally ill people choose a death with dignity. I hope both Malcolm Turnbull and Kevin Rudd will commit to a conscience vote when Parliament sits in October," Senator Brown said.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown will introduce a fresh bill on euthanasia to the Senate in the coming week.

This coincides with the heartfelt plea for euthanasia laws, to the Rudd Labor government, from young Melbourne writer Angelique Flowers (The Age, 13/09/2008) who died in agony 'the law wouldn't let a dog suffer'.

Senator Brown's bill will lift the 1997 Commonwealth ban on the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory legislating for euthanasia and follows a Senate committee report into his earlier bill.