The Australian Greens are rejecting praise from a visiting member of the Rajapaksa family, saying it was not a "bold move" to withhold support from a UN war crimes investigation, but rather a shameful demonstration that Australia is appeasing the government in Sri Lanka to further Tony Abbott's domestic policies on asylum seekers.

The Australian Greens say it was not a "bold move" to withhold support from a UN war crimes investigation, but rather a shameful demonstration that Australia is appeasing the government in Sri Lanka to further Tony Abbott's domestic policies on asylum seekers.

"The Rajapaksa government is, in my view, an elected dictatorship. It only came to power because the Tamils boycotted the election," said Greens Leader Christine Milne.

The Australian Greens say Tony Abbott's cruel refugee policy and Operation Sovereign Borders condemns Australia to a deteriorated relationship with Indonesia.

"This is Tony Abbott in action. He is an embarrassment internationally and at home," Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne is deeply disappointed that Australian journalist Peter Greste has again been denied bail by an Egyptian court.

"The prosecution failed to provide any evidence to support the charges against Mr Greste and the proceedings were a complete shambles, with footage shown of a totally irrelevant press conference in Kenya," said Senator Milne.

"It's high time that the Australian prime minister condemned the farce going on in Egypt.

If we needed any more evidence that a large part of the Abbott government's foreign affairs agenda is motivated purely by domestic power games over refugees, we need look no further than the current session of the UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva.

A vote is due there tonight on a resolution endorsing an international investigation into war crimes and human rights abuses during the Sri Lankan civil war.

The UN General Assembly last year proclaimed 2014 the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, yet illegal settlements continue to be built on the West Bank with little criticism from Australia.

Attempting to move a motion in the Senate this week, Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne said:

"It is disgraceful that when in Israel recently the Foreign Minister Julie Bishop questioned whether the unlawful settlements were in fact illegal at all.

The Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, uses a motion in the Senate to call on the Laotian Government to investigate the disappearance of Mr Sombath Somphone. The motion reads as follows:

The Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, uses a speech in the Senate to call on the Abbott government to support the international investigation into war crimes in Sri Lanka.

The Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, introduces a motion into the Senate calling for the release of Ms Balendra Jeyakumari from detention in Sri Lanka and for the Australian Government to support the US resolution relating human rights in Sri Lanka at the upcoming meeting of the UNHRC. The motion reads as follows: 

The Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, introduces a motion to the Senate calling for the Australian Government to promote constructive dialogue between the groups involved in the South Sudanese conflict. The motion reads as follows: