The Australian Greens are pleased to announce that former Tasmanian Greens Leader Nick McKim has been elected by a ballot of members to become the next Greens Senator for Tasmania. Mr McKim will fill a casual vacancy in the Senate, created by the resignation of Christine Milne.

“I want to thank the Tasmanian Greens members for giving me this honour and I will do everything I can to repay the faith they have put in me,” McKim said. “Replacing someone of Christine’s calibre will be a huge challenge, but one that I’m really looking forward to.”

Kim Booth has served Tasmania and the people of Bass with passion and dedication over 13 years in the Tasmanian Parliament and he will be greatly missed in public life by the community and Tasmanian Greens, senator and former Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne said today.

“I first met Kim Booth in 1988 when he played a fundraising gig for the farmers at Wesley Vale opposing North Broken Hill’s proposed pulp mill, and he hasn’t stopped campaigning since for a clean, green and clever Tasmania,” Senator Milne said.

1. He's a doctor

Richard worked as a GP all over the country, from Geelong to Tennant Creek where he worked in an Aboriginal health service. Richard's work in public health also took him to India where he worked to combat the spread of HIV.

Today Senator Christine Milne has resigned her position as Leader of the Australian Greens.

Senator Milne informed the Party Room this morning in Canberra and a ballot for the new leader will occur today at 11.30am followed by a Press Conference at 1.30pm in the Mural Hall.

The Tasmanian Greens preselection process for the 2016 election opens shortly. Senator Milne told the Party Room that having decided not to contest the election for another six year Senate term, she resigned as Leader.

By Senator Christine Milne

Everywhere I go across Australia people can't stop telling me how much they loved their trip to Tasmania, how beautiful our state is and how delicious our food and beverages are.

While we should all be proud of our outstanding producers, a couple of important reasons to support local food get lost in all the enthusiasm about the highest end products.

We locals know most Tasmanian produce is sold interstate or overseas - that's why it's often hard to find locally grown fruit, vegetables and meat in the supermarkets.

Greens Leader Christine Milne says it's about time federal funds started flowing for deradicalisation programs in Australian communities.

"It has been almost eight months since Australians were first sent off to another unwinnable war in the Middle East, but only now is the Abbott government starting to act on countering violent extremism at home," said Senator Milne.

Greens Leader Christine Milne says that Daesh is running a sophisticated propaganda campaign and the Prime Minister's response is inadequate.

"Where are the prevention programs Mr Abbott?" Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

"This propaganda is sophisticated and appealing to hearts and minds.

"It's not enough for the Prime Minister to just stand there with his eight flags and say "don't do it". That won't work. It a recipe for complete failure.

Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne has thrown her support behind the Tasmanian Government’s investigation of a new data cable for the state and called on the federal government to help out if needed.

“This is one of those cases of ‘if you build it they will come’,” Senator Milne said.

“A fourth data cable connecting us to the world could bring costs down and attract more ICT business to the state.

On behalf of the Australian Greens I extend our deepest sympathies to all those who have lost loved ones in yesterday's plane crash in the French Alps.

I am particularly sad to hear that a Victorian woman and her adult son have been killed. Our hearts go out to their family and friends.

We all travel; we've got friends who travel, children who travel. This is a tragedy that hits home because so many people have died, many of them young, and it appears so random. We get the sense that in other circumstances, it could have been any one of us or our family or friends.