The Australian Greens say massive cuts to research and development, passed through the Senate today by the Liberals, Nationals, Palmer United Party and Independent Nick Xenophon, is another act of intergenerational theft.

"Cutting support for research and development is a short-sighted way to balance the Budget and will help drive the country's investment in research to a 30-year low," said Greens science, research and innovation spokesperson Adam Bandt MP.

Australian Greens Leader and Tasmanian Senator Christine Milne says she firmly supports CSIRO workers who are stopping work today to protest job cuts in the Abbott government's brutal budget.

"It's no wonder Australia's scientists are up in arms and I'm glad that here in Hobart that they're prepared to speak out against this backward attack from a backward government on the research that's helping Australia address 21st Century challenges," Senator Milne said.

The Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, introduces a motion the the senate calling on the Abbott government to respect science and research in Australia. The motion reads as follows: 

The Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, questions the Abbott Government on the impact of the South Korean free trade agreement on the future of the car manufacturing industry in Australia.

The Australian Greens say the Prime Minister's announcement of a $100 million fund for Victoria and South Australia is no guarantee of future jobs after the closure of Holden factories.

"The Prime Minister's fund is a band-aid on a massive wound in the Victorian and South Australian economies," Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

"This announcement does nothing to counter the fact that the economy will be driven backwards in the south-eastern states when the Prime Minister and Treasurer continue with savage cuts in upcoming budgets.

Today's projected budget surplus is on the back of single parents, trainees and apprentices, researchers and job-seekers, instead of sensibly plugging loopholes in the mining tax and building a stronger revenue base for future investments, the Australian Greens said.

"Today's Budget update confirms that Labor is more committed to Australia being a coal country than a caring or clever country," Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

Christine has met with Prime Minister Gillard to raise concerns about the threats to a number of Hobart's science institutions that are central to the nation's scientific knowledge and the local Tasmanian economy.

Science is integral to Hobart's economic DNA - we have hundreds of marine and Antarctic scientists working here, and several world-renowned institutions based here.

It makes no economic or environmental sense to subsidise brown coal and this new $90 million injection into yet another brown coal subsidy undermines the federal government's climate credibility, the Australian Greens said today.

 "Why are the Commonwealth and Victorian governments wasting money on yet more hand-outs for yesterday's polluting energy instead of investing in clean renewable sunrise industries like solar and wind power?" Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said today.