Australian Greens Senators Bob Brown and Christine Milne met with the Prime Minister, the Treasurer and the Minister for Climate Change this morning and carbon price discussions are continuing, Greens Leader Bob Brown said.

"Further discussions are expected later in the weekend," Senator Brown said.

Greens Leader Bob Brown has condemned both major parties for today voting down his move to have the Productivity Commission investigate options for a sovereign wealth fund.

"Australia is the wealthiest country on Earth per capita in terms of resources and it is being squandered," Senator Brown said in Canberra.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today he will strive to improve the government's proposed mining tax in the coming months.

"By rejecting the Treasury-proposed Resource Super Profits Tax, Mining Minister Martin Ferguson has delivered $100 billion for the big mining companies at the expense of the long-term needs of Australia over the next decade," Senator Brown said in Hobart.

"The budget's corporate tax cut for big business should be shelved, helping to return the federal budget to surplus, and Dr Henry's tax should be adopted."

Deep seabed mining threatens our oceans and the marine environment of our neighbours, particularly Papua New Guinea where seabed mining experiments are going unchecked, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"The Australian Greens are calling for scrutiny of what deep seabed mining means for the health of our oceans and our own country's natural marine resources and fisheries into the future," Senator Brown said in Hobart after ABC TV's Catalyst program examined deep seabed mining.

Greens Leader Bob Brown has welcomed Dick Smith's new book venture Dick Smith's Population Crisis launched today in Sydney.

"I'm looking forward to reading it. Dick makes a great contribution to Australian debate about population and resource pressures in this age of consumerism. We may not always agree with him but welcome his courage, commitment and stimulus to get us all thinking about the big issues of the day," Senator Brown said.

"He's right that exponential growth is clearly not sustainable."

UPDATE: Read the details of the carbon price and clean energy package here.

Pollution from burning coal, oil and gas is driving a climate crisis, making our world more dangerous, increasing prices of food and water and jeopardising our way of life.

But if we cut pollution and invest properly in the clean alternatives, we can build a healthier, cleaner, more secure economy and community for all of us.

Why do we need a carbon tax?

Senator Bob Brown welcomed the split in Coalition ranks on plain packaging for cigarettes and pricing pollution, and reiterated the Australian Greens’ support for the Treasury’s proposed super profits tax on mining.

Direct audio link is here.

Bob Brown, speaking to David Hill on Radio Australia's Pacific Beat, says Australian mining companies operating in Papua New Guinea should adhere to Australian environmental and ethical standards.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today he will move to strengthen legislation with the aim of limiting chief executives' salaries to 30 times the average pay within their corporation.

"The Greens support moves to give shareholders more say and have no intention of having the Corporations Amendment (Improving Accountability on Director and Executive Remuneration) Bill fail," Senator Brown said in Canberra.