The remarks by Teresa Gambaro that migrants, including those on temporary visas, need compulsory training about hygiene are unhelpful, the Australian Greens said today.

"By all means, inform migrants about how they can access services in Australia or how our legal system works," Greens' immigration spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

"But focusing on body odour is blatant dog whistling from the Coalition.

The "year of decision and delivery" is quickly coming to an end and the Prime Minister is determined to get the government's mining tax passed through the House of Representative this week before the summer break of Parliament. The Senate would then deal with the legislation when Parliament resumes in 2012.

The "year of decision and delivery" is quickly coming to an end and the Prime Minister is determined to get the government's mining tax passed through the House of Representative this week before the summer break of Parliament. The Senate would then deal with the legislation when Parliament resumes in 2012.

The Australian Greens have called for a proposal for a National Student Card to be put on the COAG agenda as a matter of urgency, according to Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson on Education, says it's important that the discrepancies between states and territories on tertiary student access to concession transport are ironed out as soon as possible.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is calling for a nationwide Australian Student Card to be introduced, as the Senate Inquiry into the welfare of international students continues, and student groups prepare to rally at NSW State Parliament House this afternoon.

The Inquiry, established by Senator Hanson-Young in June and carried out by the Senate’s Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Committee, holds a hearing in Sydney today. Senator Hanson-Young will also address the Fair Education: Justice for International Students rally when it reaches Parliament House.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will raise the idea of an Education Commission at this week’s hearings for the Senate Inquiry into the welfare of international students.

The Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Committee’s inquiry into the welfare of international students, established by Senator Hanson-Young in May, will hold hearings in Melbourne tomorrow and Sydney on Wednesday.

Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young has pointed to extra millions for Adelaide’s desalination plant and a drop in money for water reform in the Murray-Darling Basin as the weak links in South Australia’s allocation in the Federal Budget.

An extra $228 million was provided for Adelaide’s desalination plant on the agreement that it double its output from 50GL to 100GL per year, while $16.4 million over two years was cut from water reform programs for the Murray-Darling Basin.

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."

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called for greater federal funding to fix South Australia’s public transport woes.

“Public transport in this state must be improved urgently, so we can get around efficiently in the years to come,” she said.

“The rising cost of petrol means many households are being tempted
to leave their cars in their driveways - if they can afford to run a
car at all. But the fact is that public transport in many areas is
woefully inadequate, which means those cars are being forced back on
the roads.

Greens Senate candidate for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young has
called for a free public transport trial in Adelaide while announcing
the Greens’ Roads to Rails policy today.

“Our Roads to Rail policy would turn around Australia’s transport
strategy, prioritising funding for mass transit over the short-term and
obsolete mantra of more roads funding,” Ms Hanson-Young said.