Senator HANSON-YOUNG (South Australia)
(4.32 pm)—I rise today to speak to the government’s $42 million stimulus package that, as the government puts it, aims to provide long-term infrastructure building for Australia. While the Greens have stated on the record our support for the intent of this package, we do raise genuine and serious concerns about a number of the areas that have failed to be adequately addressed within this package of the Appropriation (Nation Building and Jobs) Bill (No. 1) 2008-2009 and related bills.

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."

The Greens have cemented their place as the most environmentally
progressive party, not only by gaining top marks on party scorecards by
environmental organisations, but also by running a carbon positive
campaign for the 2007 federal election.

‘Carbon positive’ means that the Greens will go one better than
running a carbon neutral campaign, and will actually offset even more
than their own carbon emissions.

During a visit to the South East today, Greens Senate candidate
Sarah Hanson-Young has called on the state and federal Labor parties to
rule out the approval of the proposed a new coal-fired power station
near Kingston.

Both state Labor and Liberal parties have previously given their
support for the proposal for a new 300MW power station fuelled by a
dirty brown coal deposit located north of Kingston.