The Liberal, National and Labor parties today failed to act on their own words in voting down a motion that calls on the government to direct the ACCC and Productivity Commission to take the first steps in reining in the Coles Woolworths supermarket duopoly.

"This motion, to implement the findings of a unanimous 2010 Senate Committee report, would have been an important step in reining in the Coles Woolworths duopoly, which is unfair to both consumers and producers, and the Greens will make it a major campaign," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

A motion to be tabled today by the Australian Greens gives the government and opposition parties an opportunity to move from rhetoric to action to rein in the Coles Woolworths supermarket duopoly.

"Labor, Liberal and Nationals MPs regularly talk about how the Coles Woolworths duopoly is unfair to both consumers and producers, but they won't take the first steps to rein it in," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

The Prime Minister must not trade away vital health and social policies in her enthusiasm to cooperate with the US government in Trans Pacific Partnership free trade agreement talks underway in Hawaii, the Australian Greens said today.

"The United States, which is driving this agenda, is coming back to get what it didn't succeed in getting through the US-Australia free trade agreement," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

MEET THE PRESS

6 NOVEMBER 2011

INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTINE MILNE AND IAN HANKE.

DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE CARBON TAX BILLS, THE MINING TAX, COAL SEAM GAS, THE CHOICES OF ALAN JOYCE, THE FAIR WORK ACT, THE COALITION AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, AND UNFAIR DISMISSALS.

Senator MILNE (Tasmania-Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens) (11:44): I rise today on what is an historic day in the Australian parliament in the Senate. This is the day when the Senate will begin to consider the clean energy package and will start delivering on real action on climate change in Australia as these bills pass. It is an historic day in Australia and globally because it is the day on which the seven-billionth is expected to join us on the planet. We live on a finite planet and the non-renewable resources of the earth are under huge pressure.

The Gillard government's "rethink" on free trade is long overdue and the focus needs to shift in the short term to the government's headlong rush into the US-backed Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, Australian Greens Deputy Leader Christine Milne said today.

The research and development reforms passed in the Parliament today increase support for small and medium sized businesses, particularly after the Greens secured amendments to help the cash-flow of these companies which are the engine room of innovation in Australia.

The agreement to make quarterly cash payments to small and medium-sized companies, instead of annual tax credits, was reached after a lengthy consultation by the Greens with a broad range of industry representatives.

The Music Matters campaign launched today in Australia and New Zealand is a refreshing new take on supporting artists for their work through a ‘trust mark' to help fans choose to consume music in a way that supports the artists.

The Greens welcome this initiative as an important step in reconciling the need to support artists for their creative work with the increasingly diffuse means of consumption and online sharing culture which can bring tremendous benefits to creative artists.

Australia will start to cut carbon pollution immediately and is laying firm foundations for more ambitious, science-based climate action in the years ahead thanks to the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee agreement announced today.

"The Greens promised to deliver a climate action package which was a platform for stronger action rather than a ceiling which held Australia back and we have done just that," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.