The Greens have today announced they will move for a Senate inquiry into the Murray Darling Basin Authority's draft plan when Parliament resumes next week so parliamentarians can scrutinise what is being proposed.

"We want an answer to the basic question why did the MDBA choose 2,750 GL when the science says the river system needs at least 4,000 GL," Greens' water spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

"The basin authority has yet to justify that figure.

The Australian Greens have today called on the Gillard government to release legal advice on whether the Murray Darling Basin Authority's draft plan complies with the Commonwealth Water Act.

"As the MDBA head today confirmed in a Senate estimates committee hearing that legal advice was done, now is the time for the government to let Australians see it," Greens' water spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

"They clearly have the legal advice on the draft plan, despite last week declining to release it when I questioned the government about its existence.

Opening the Labor Party conference, Julia Gillard told her party faithful she wanted the ALP to be the party that says "yes to the future".

Yet the Prime Minister spent the next three days advocating for the resurrection of the old, tired conservative policies of John Howard. On policies covering asylum seekers, uranium and same-sex marriage, Labor's leader backed the stance of the former ultra-conservative Liberal prime minister.

The CSIRO's assessment of the Murray Darling Basin Authority's draft plan backs up what the Australian Greens have been saying all along, by showing water and ecology targets will not be met without greater volumes being allocated to the environment.

"The science was made to fit around the figure of 2,800 GL, which was then cut by another 50 GL in the actual draft plan," Greens' Murray Darling Basin and water spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said today.

Audio from Sarah's door stop in Adelaide on the science behind the Murray Darling draft plan and the tabling of a report from an independent inquiry into the Villawood and Christmas Island riots.

Senator HANSON»-«YOUNG» (South Australia) (11:01): It is with great pride that I rise today to commend the Clean Energy Bill 2011 and associated bills to the Senate.

Senator HANSON-YOUNG: I move the motion as amended:

The Senate has today passed a Greens' motion calling on the government to reverse a decision to close the offices of the National Archives in Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said: "The government should properly consult with the public before closing down valuable public assets such as these. All Australians should have access to the collections in their home state or territory. Researchers in Tasmania, South Australia or the Northern Territory are no less valuable to the preservation of our history and culture."

Senator BOB BROWN (Tasmania - Leader of the Australian Greens) (3.40 pm) - I, and also on behalf of Senator Hanson-Young, move:

That the Senate:
(a) does not support the non-consultative process which has led to the closures of the Tasmanian, South Australian and Northern Territory offices of the National Archives of Australia;

(b) recognises:

(i) the disadvantages that will be faced by researchers, organisations and the general public as a result of the office closures, and