Thank you for your warm welcome. I begin by acknowledging the Ngunnawal people, the traditional owners of the land.

Gandhi once said, "The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems."

We have reached a point in human history where 'what we do' on this planet imperils our survival. Now is the moment to re-imagine and reconsider 'what we are capable of doing'.

I rise today to say how very disappointed the Greens are with the government's decision not to keep the money that was promised to the education infrastructure fund in the fund. I would like to remind the Senate of the genesis of this and the conversation and the argument that occurred in the Senate. In the first quarter of last year when the government brought in its Infrastructure Australia legislation, there was a long debate in the Senate.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

 STANDING COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS

The Australian Greens today welcomed Tasmania's prime position in the national broadband roll-out, calling for it to signal the first step in a clean, green and clever jobs boom in Tasmania.

"The roll-out of the new broadband network could be our ticket to a clean, green and clever jobs boom in Tasmania, if we seize the opportunity to shift our economic focus," said Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND
WORKPLACE RELATIONS - 25/02/2009 - EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE
RELATIONS - Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Here is one of my favourite parts of President Obama's inauguration speech this morning:

"Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

Yesterday, after a whirlwind six week campaign, Melbourne Uni and the National Academy of Music put out a statement the upshot of which is that the full 2009 program that the Academy had planned to run will now be run, with Brett Dean as Artistic Director, staying in its existing location, key staff remaining the same, and places to be offered to existing students. A new independent board will be appointed with a view to determining the Academy's long-term programming.

The Australian Greens are today celebrating the reprieve for the National Academy of Music, after the Rudd Government effectively reversed its decision to close the world-renowned school.

The Prime Minister's office, which became involved when the Greens invited students and staff of the Academy to Canberra last week, has intervened to keep the school open and running its full planned program for 2009, with plans for a new independent board to secure its long-term future over the course of the year.