“A strong safe crossbench in the Senate” - Brown

“I offer the electorate experienced and stable leadership, and the progressive policies and clear vision for Australia’s future which the big parties are ignoring,” Australian Greens Leader Senator Brown said in Canberra today.

“Moving forward will mean a carbon tax on polluters; bringing home safely Australia’s troops from Afghanistan; a universal dental care scheme; humane treatment of asylum seekers in Australia; protecting our forests and wildlife.”

At this National Press Club I acknowledge the traditional owners of the Canberra region and all the Indigenous people of our nation.

This year will be another milestone in politics for the Australian Greens. The sole balance of power in the Senate and a breakthrough into the House of Representatives are both within reach. Australia's voters are looking for more progressive politics and the stable, experienced leadership which we alone have produced over the past three turbulent years in Canberra.

Minister for Employment Participation Mark Arbib and Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown today announced $17.5 million for 21 projects under Round 2 of the Local Jobs projects under Australian Government's Jobs Fund.

Local Jobs projects link disadvantaged job seekers with green jobs and environmentally friendly projects.

Senator Arbib said the projects would create or retain 587 jobs, 304 work experience positions and 150 traineeships and apprenticeships.

Senator BOB BROWN (Tasmania) (Leader of the Australian Greens) (9:37 AM) —I move: That, with regard to the comments made by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Abbott) on industrial manslaughter, the Senate accepts the need for strong national industrial manslaughter laws.

Question put.

The government's gushy welcome to the Productivity Commission's watered-down recommendations on ‘obscene' executive remuneration will have champagne corks popping again at the big end of town, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Hobart today.

"However shareholders' powers to curb multi-million dollar wage grabs for executives have been dramatically reduced from the Commission's earlier report. The result will be that the greed factor found in parts of the corporate sector will continue to flourish," Senator Brown said.

"As predicted, the Productivity Commission's draft report on tackling executive pay fails to recommend a pay cap, fails to directly empower shareholders to reject excessive CEO packages and fails to tie CEO payments to any performance criteria at all. The Productivity Commission has been most unproductive. The report lets this Labor government off the hook," Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

The Australian Greens have today released an options paper for government action on ‘obscene' executive remuneration.

"In view of the expected release of the Productivity Commission report, the Greens are putting forward a suite of defined options to curb the most ‘obscene' executive pay packages," Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said.

"The Prime Minister has repeatedly condemned greedier pay packages as ‘obscene' but just as frequently failed to take any action."

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has called on the Prime Minister to back the Greens' plans to limit CEO salaries.

"Greens amendments before the parliament would give shareholders a say over annual salaries of CEO pay - not just termination pay as the government proposes," Senator Brown said.

"Furthermore I announce today that the Greens will move to amend the bill to cap total executive remuneration for any individual at a maximum of $5million per year."

The Greens will move amendments to the Corporations Amendment (Improving Accountability on Termination Payments) Bill to give shareholders a greater say over executive pay.

"The government has, under pressure from the big end of town, watered down its own legislation. The Greens will rectify this with amendments to restore measures in the original exposure draft bill which ensure shareholders can vote on the performance of their CEO," Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said.