The Greens are seeking legal advice on an amendment to the Fair Work Australia Bill 2008 to curb excessive CEO payouts, Australian Greens Leader, Senator Bob Brown said today.

"Under the Greens' proposal, the Fair Work Australia Commission would review executive salaries before ordinary workers are made redundant. The Commission would require a company to explain why high executive salaries should not be lopped in preference to jobs," Senator Brown said.

Friday, 27 Feb 2009

The Greens will move amendments to stop CEO payments of more than $1 million being tax deductible when Parliament resumes, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

Senator Brown said Labor should reconnect with public sentiment and workers' interests by acting against the greediest CEO pay deals.

The Australian Greens say Prime Minister Kevin Rudd must act to place a realistic cap on excessive CEO salaries, and let shareholders vote on limiting the payouts for departing CEOs of major companies.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown said that with the announcement today that Telstra boss Sol Trujillo will be moving on in June, Australians are expecting action from the Government that the days of CEO largesse are over.

Queenslanders will be big winners out of the Local Green Jobs Package negotiated by the Greens as part of the $42 billion Federal stimulus package, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Brisbane today, where he was campaigning with Ronan Lee, Greens member for Indooroopilly.

The Government and the Greens have agreed to amendments to the $42 billion economic stimulus package, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"We have improved this package to create thousands of green jobs in communities across Australia," Senator Brown said.

"These involve approximately half a billion dollars and will create thousands of local green jobs and provide greater assistance to unemployed and low-income Australians."

Thursday, 29 January 2009

The Australian Greens will move to amend the Corporations Amendment (No 1) Bill 2009 to give shareholders the power to restrict excessive termination payments for executives, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"Minister Rudd is risking billions of dollars of taxpayers' money propping up the big banks and big developers, but he's forgotten small business people and battlers like pensioners and people who have lost their jobs," Senator Brown said.

Tuesday, 27 January 2009

The Rudd Government is leading Australia into a deficit squeeze on spending with no clear plan to boost funding for education, hospitals, housing and public transport, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"With recession looming, the emphasis should be on public services and re-skilling for the age of green-collar jobs. President Obama is planning for 5 million jobs in his plans for an American Green New Deal. Prime Minister Rudd has no plan at all," Senator Brown said.

The Australian Greens today outlined their vision for Australia in the new century ahead of the opening of the Balance-of-Power Senate.

Australian Greens Leader, Senator Bob Brown, said a record 1.17 million people voted Greens at the last election, and the five Greens Senators were ready to work constructively with all parties to respond to the challenges of the new century.

"Pollution, poverty, discrimination and the destruction of Australia's forests and precious environments are the legacy of the last century and decades of greed and inaction."

Labor's deputy leader Julia Gillard hazards looking like John Howard with her 'not negotiable' attitude (The Australian p6) towards the Senate on industrial relations, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.
 
"The essence of the Senate as a House of Review is no one party dictating, as Howard has done since 2004," Senator Brown said.
 

The Greens will be essential for delivering fairer industrial relations IR reform if a Rudd Labor Government is elected," Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.
 
"If Australians elect a Rudd government, the coalition will block any changes to IR – Labor would face a hostile Senate," Senator Brown said,
 
"But it is clear that on individual contracts, the award safety net and right of entry the Greens are the party committed to delivering a fair and just industrial relations system."