The bill to reward visual artists with royalties for the resale of their work passed by the Senate today will mean many artists will wait as long as half a century to receive a single cent in recognition of their success.

Senator MILNE (Tasmania) (5:24 PM) -I am afraid I have to quote Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet: ‘A plague on both your houses.' The fact of the matter is that the CSIRO is nothing like the research organisation that it used to be. It has been cowed by successive federal governments, with the Howard government being an absolute champion at turning the organisation into one too afraid to say anything about climate change because of the attitude of the Howard government. It has continued under the Rudd government.

The Rudd Government's mismanagement of Senate business will result in the bill to finally give visual artists royalties for resale of their work missing out on a full Senate debate.

The Australian Greens have prepared amendments to the Resale Royalty Rights bill to ensure that visual artists receive royalties from the first resale of their work, instead of waiting as long as half a century for a second resale as they would under the Rudd Government's plan.

Senator MILNE (Tasmania) (3:56 PM) -I seek leave to make a short statement relating to Senator Barnett's motion which has just been passed.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT -Leave is granted for two minutes.

The media storm over climate sceptics in the Coalition, triggered by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Lowy Institute speech last Friday and the ABC's Four Corners program on Monday night, is bringing much needed rain for a government whose climate credentials were looking very dry.

It has very effectively framed the debate in the Government's superficial way - the choice between action and inaction - and, in so doing, allowed the Government to again escape scrutiny at a crucial moment here in Australia.

The Australian Greens welcomed confirmation today that the Rudd Government will not be removing parallel importation protection for books published in Australia, in a great victory for Australia's writers, publishers, printers and book-lovers.

The push to remove the protection came from supermarket booksellers and was opposed by the great majority of Australia's publishers, booksellers and writers. The Greens were pleased to support the campaign throughout.

By Tim Hollo

Kevin Rudd's speech to the Lowy Institute last Friday was one of the most extraordinary pieces of rhetorical hypocrisy this country has seen in recent years.

The Australian Greens will move amendments to the Resale Royalty Rights bill that is due to come before the Senate this week to ensure that visual artists receive royalties from the first resale of their work, instead of waiting as long as half a century for a second resale as they would under the Rudd Government's plan.

"This is yet another example of the Rudd Government claiming to be concerned about a problem but presenting a solution which is patently not up to the task," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne said.