Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown spoke to the media today about the appointment of David Gonski to Chairman of the Future Fund. Greens Health spokesperson Senator Richard Di Natale spoke about the need to move the Future Fund away from investing in Tobacco.

Bob also spoke about the need to take notice of President Hamid Karzai's comments about the recent incidents in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Bob Carr's comments about the Papua New Guinea election, and the mining tax legislation that is before the Senate.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown and Greens Senator for Victoria Richard Di Natale held a press conference to urge the Coalition to support plain packaging legislation for cigarrettes. Other topics included the proposed media inquiry, the upcoming tax review, coal seam gas mining and the carbon price package.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown was interviewed this morning, where he welcomed Australians, including Dame Murdoch, speaking out in favour of pricing pollution. He also spoke about the eBay bidding for "Breakfast with Bob" ahead of tonight’s MidWinter Ball at Parliament House, the latest Newspoll, Greens legislation to prevent the export of live animals for slaughter and the need to process animals in Australia, and across-the-board support for plain-packaging for cigarettes.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown today urged Prime Minister Rudd to support Malcolm Turnbull's call for an increase in cigarette taxes.

Senator Brown said the Greens would move in the Senate to have money saved from means testing the private health insurance rebate allocated to public health and hospitals.

"This $1.9 billion should go to saving lives rather than the budget bottom line," Senator Brown said.