A Greens' amendment to broadcasting legislation to ban junk food ads in children's television viewing hours failed in the Senate this afternoon.  
Greens Leader Bob Brown slammed the Coalition, Labor and Democrats for opposing the amendment (however Senators Allison and Stott Despoja voted for it).
 
"Health Minister Tony Abbott says this is the soft option in tackling Australia's obesity epidemic; but where is his hard option?" Senator Brown said.
 

Senator Abetz's proposal that the Senate dissociate itself from a motion on its own agenda is silly, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.  
"Senator Abetz's move calls on Senator Brown to withdraw his motion for an inquiry into the secretive, but politcally active Exclusive Brethren members; but it has zero clout," Senator Brown said.
 
"Senator Abetz has asked the Senate to 'dissociate', 'regret' and 'condemn' my motion, but not until AFTER it is dealt with in the Senate. It is a nonsensical motion from the Minister."
 

The reported proposal by Environment Minister Ian Campbell to strip the Wilderness Society of the tax-deductable status threatens every non-government organisation in Australia, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.  
"What starts with the Wilderness Society will end with the Red Cross. The Howard government has defunded youth and Aboriginal organisations. Now, with control of the Senate, he is moving to rob environment groups. The move was slated by Eric Abetz, Minister for Forests, last year," Senator Brown said.
 

Health Minister Tony Abbott is failing to do his job to improve the health of Australia's children, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.  
"The study from NSW Cancer Council showing more than 80 per cent of food ads are aimed mainly at children shows that children need to be protected from food advertisments," Senator Brown said.
 
"It is ridiculous for Tony Abbott to describe the regulation of junk food advertising as 'extensive' on the same day a study has found that fast food companies regularly flout guidelines on TV advertising to children."
 

18 February 2005 The Commonwealth Government today welcomed the availability of a new fuel to help reduce the harm caused by petrol sniffing in remote Indigenous communities. – Media release, Tony Abbott
 
19 February 2005
Mr Abbott yesterday rejected calls to supply the petrol right across central
Australia. "I can understand why people would like to do that but the issue becomes where do you stop."
"We can't convert the whole of Australia's petrol supplies to Opal."
– Northern Territory News
 

 The Greens have voted for a statement from the Exclusive Brethren sect to be incorporated into the Senate Hansard (127th report of the Committee of Privileges)
 
The statement from three elders of the sect is in response to Senator Bob Brown's call for a Senate inquiry into the Exclusive Brethren's social and political activities.
 

Greens Leader Bob Brown has postponed till August a Senate debate and vote on whether there should be an inquiry into political and other activities of the Exclusive Brethren sect.
 
Senator Brown's motion is:
 
That the following matters be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry:
 
The role of the Exclusive Brethren in:
 
(a)  family breakdown and psychological and emotional effects related to the practice of ex communication or other practices;
 

The release of polling today showing that 82 percent of people want the government to regulate the way food is marketed to children supports the Greens' push to ban junk food advertising during children's television viewing hours.
 
"It is time that the Prime Minister stopped listening to the junk food lobby and began listening to Australian parents," said Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.
 
"Some of the best paid psychologists in Australia are working day and night to think up new ways to sell junk food to Australia's children, and it is working."
 

The $65 million 'concessions' for charities announced by the Federal Government involves no new money but comes entirely from the $500 million set aside for compliance and start-up assistance for the non-government and small business sector, Greens Senator Bob Brown said today.

Under questioning in the Senate last night, Assistant Treasurer Senator Kemp told Senator Brown that:

'it does come from the $500 million start-up funds, but it is new money to the community sector'