Australian Greens will stop the excesses of Tony Abbott
Australian Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne has used her speech at the Australian Greens campaign launch to warn of the risk of Tony Abbott taking control of both houses of parliament.
"Australian voters do not want any party to have absolute power in the parliament," Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne said.
"The last time this happened John Howard introduced Work Choices.
"We have a vision for our nation and the courage to stand up for issues that matter - something the old parties lack.
"People want to be treated with respect. They want a challenge to the old politics and they want voices they can trust in parliament.
"We are responsible economic managers, the only party with the backbone to raise revenue from those who can afford it.
"Unlike Tony Abbott, we are prepared to provide fully costed policies. We are more than halfway through the election campaign and Tony Abbott still won't tell Australians what he's planning to cut.
"There's no doubt we are the underdog, the David to their Goliath. The Greens rely on volunteers and people power, not deep pockets.
"But still, in this campaign - and in the year leading up to it - both old parties have spent almost as much time attacking us as they have attacking each other.
"They know they are the past, the rear vision thinkers and not only that, they know we are the future. We are the new major party for now and with our eyes firmly fixed on the future."
A COMPASSIONATE PLAN FOR REFUGEES
"Refugees have for too long been our nation's chief political football, but in this election the race to the bottom has hit new lows," Senator Milne said.
"I haven't seen such an outpouring of shock, disgust and anger towards the atrocious, cruel policies of Labor and the Coalition since the Tampa crisis.
"Refugees from all over the world have made our nation richer- we have welcomed wave after wave from Europe after World War II, Vietnam, Somalia, Sudan and in turn they have given back to us many times over.
"People expected this kind of behaviour from John Howard's protégé Tony Abbott, but Labor has joined him in a tit for tat one upmanship. Across the country our candidates have had countless people tell them this time they can't vote for either of the old parties.
"We speak for caring Australians and these human rights abuses against refugees are not in our name."
The Greens will move for a new inquiry conducted through the Senate to rigorously scrutinise the legal, financial and moral implications of the cruelty done in the name of Australia to refugees.
CARE FOR PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
"The old parties like to pretend they care about the environment and the climate but they cannot be trusted," Senator Milne said.
"When faced with a choice, they will always pick the side of big mining and industrial development.
"You only need to look at the decisions to allow mining in the Tarkine and giving the go-ahead to the massive Gloucester CSG project and the destructive Maules Creek coal mine.
"What is more important than the air we breathe? Yet today we have communities where children are getting sick because big companies are getting their way."
The Greens are announcing new legislation to help communities protect their health, drive down air pollution and keep our air clean: the Clean Air Act.