There are more than 13 billion reasons why the climate package unveiled on Sunday is better at putting a price on pollution than its predecessor.

For starters, there's $10 billion for renewable energy projects. Unlike the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) proposed by the former Rudd government, this package lays the basis for science-based climate action.

South Australia will benefit from the historic climate action package which finally puts a price on carbon to cut pollution, the Australian Greens said today.

"The Greens went to the 2010 election promising to take action on climate change, and at last we have the results after many months of negotiations," SA Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

The Federal Opposition leader is being irresponsible in his claims that the OneSteel plant in Whyalla will close should a price on carbon pollution be introduced, the Greens said today.

"Mr Abbott is creating unnecessary anxiety among South Australians by claiming that putting a price on pollution will lead to OneSteel closing in Whyalla," South Australian Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

"Just as he was plain wrong in claiming petrol prices would rise, he is wrong in talking up a One Steel closure.

Yesterday was a great day for the Greens. Our team in the Federal Parliament went from six to 10 with Governor-General Quentin Bryce presiding over the swearing-in of 12 senators from around the country who were elected in August last year.

The Australian Greens are calling on the federal government to alter the powers of the Foreign Investment Review Board to include water licences.

It comes amid an overwhelming response from everyday Australians toward the acquisition of prime farming land by foreign companies and shows the Federal government must act to ensure water allocation licences in the Murray Darling Basin and other part of the country are protected.

Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young and Senator-elect, Penny Wright, talk to the SA media on the SA Greens' numbers doubling in the Senate from July 1 as part of the Greens holding the balance of power in the new senate.

Tens of thousands of people attended peaceful rallies around the country on Sunday in support of action on climate change, despite the Coalition and News Ltd media empire's negative campaign against cutting pollution via a carbon tax.

I am writing this from Christmas Island and could not attend the rally in Adelaide. I am gladdened Australians were not intimidated from speaking out.

The Sunday before the rallies, the News Ltd press attacked proponents of taking action, such as actress Cate Blanchett, for publicly supporting efforts to combat climate change.

The Greens are pleased with the release of the House of Representative committee’s report into the Murray Darling basin, but have questioned some of its recommendations.

“We join with environmental groups in expressing our concern with the report’s call for a reassessment of the voluntary water buy-back of certain allocations,” Greens’ spokesperson on the Murray Darling, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

I was interviewed by the ABC in this report about threats to the Lake Eyre basin.

The original report aired on 30/05/11.