Yesterday the full bench of the High Court began hearing a challenge to the Malaysian solution.

The Greens hope David Manne and Debbie Mortimer, SC, and their legal team succeeds, not least because we do not want unaccompanied children to be expelled to a country where their rights cannot be guaranteed. It's not yet clear when the court will issue its ruling, but it could permanently derail the Gillard government's plans to export Australia's international obligations to give protection to countries including Malaysia and, possibly, Papua New Guinea.

We politicians are back in Canberra this morning after a five-week winter recess. It sounds like a long break, but federal politicians work seven days a week, so it passed by in a flash. As a mother of a young daughter, I cherish such times as I was able to spend more time with her. Even the Prime Minister had a few days out of the media spotlight, although she stayed in Canberra. Tony Abbott, too, put the hard hat and reflective vest down for 10 days and went overseas with his family.

The Australian Greens say the Murray Darling Basin Authority's second delay in eight days to the draft report means there's less time for the parliament and public to assess its contents.

"Last week we were cautious about the authority meeting its mid-October deadline and unfortunately we've been proven right," Greens' water and Murray Darling basin spokesperson, Sen. Hanson-Young, said today.

"We're disappointed that there's been yet another delay in this long-overdue draft.

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.

The Liberal Party may have made valid criticisms of the Federal Government's lack of action on the Murray-Darling and other issues, but neither of the major parties have proven their credentials on the environment, according to the Australian Greens.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson on the Lower Murray, says last night's speech by Tony Abbott has attracted a lot of attention, but that the Liberals have to do more than just talk to convince people they are serious on the environment.

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."