Greens Senator Bob Brown expressed concern today at renewed reports that Wal Mart may be planning a takeover of Coles and called on the Treasurer to block any sale to a foreign corporation, not least Wal Mart.
 
"Wal Mart have a very worrying record on workers rights and the environment" Senator Brown said.
 
"A takeover risks the jobs and conditions of the 90,000 workers currently employed by Coles."
 
"Wal Mart has a record of sending jobs overseas," Senator Brown said.
 

The government should block the sale of Coles to a foreign owner Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.  
A foreign takeover of Coles would requirement approval of the Foreign Investment Review Board and ultimately the government.
 
"It is in the national interest for Coles to stay Australian. It is an employer of almost 200,000 people and a national icon," Senator Brown said.
 

Government MPs should get their staff better pay rather than complain about their own superannuation, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.  
"Politicians' staff get 8% less than equivalent staff in the public service. That is leading to a high turnover," Senator Brown said.
 
"If Mal Washer is worried about pre-2004 politicians getting higher superannuation entitlements, he can campaign to bring those entitlements down. For years the Greens have campaigned to bring superannuation top-ups for MPs from 69% down to public service levels.
 

Greens Leader Bob Brown says the sudden announcement by Qantas that it is abandoning Burnie and downgrading Launceston is appalling.
 
"No public discussion. No loyalty to Tasmania, just a high-handed kick in the teeth.
 
"Qantas sees it Sydney – Melbourne axis as the be-all and end-all. Provincial Australian is being treated with disdain," Senator Brown said.
 
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The Australian Greens have thrown their support behind the Maritime Union of Australia while condemning the Democrats' de facto role in facilitating the NFF's actions on Melbourne's Webb Dock.

In Canberra today, Greens Senator Bob Brown said that the 1997 Kernot-Reith agreement, which specifically aimed to crush the MUA in legislation aimed at breaking the unions, had been endorsed by the Democrats in the Senate. The Democrats re-endorsed this stand post-Kernot in October last year in the Senate.