The Australian Greens have today flagged significant concerns with the Rudd Government's emissions trading plans in a minority report to the Economics Committee's review of the draft legislation.

"The Government will have to make serious changes to the legislation if it actually wants it to pass" said Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne.

The Rudd Government is focussing on guaranteeing a future for the coal sector at the expense of the entire Australian community, the Australian Greens said today.

"We can protect coal or protect the climate, but not both," said Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne.

"The Rudd Government's quarry vision is protecting coal, not the climate or the community, and has left Australia both economically and environmentally vulnerable.

The Rudd Government must heed the warning of Australia's leading climate scientists and significantly strengthen its greenhouse emissions target, the Australian Greens said today.

The scientists' warning came in submissions to the Senate Select Committee on Climate Policy, established by the Greens and Opposition, which began hearings today. The inquiry has received over 13,500 submissions - the second highest on record - from a deeply concerned public demanding strong action.

The Australian Greens today welcomed Tasmania's prime position in the national broadband roll-out, calling for it to signal the first step in a clean, green and clever jobs boom in Tasmania.

"The roll-out of the new broadband network could be our ticket to a clean, green and clever jobs boom in Tasmania, if we seize the opportunity to shift our economic focus," said Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne.

 I rise today to comment on this urgency motion and note that it is really an opportunity for senators to make a pitch in the Queensland election. It was not written that way, but we have had a clear example that that is what this is about.

I rise to particularly take note of an answer given by the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Wong. I want to point out to the Senate that we are reaching the global tipping point from which there will be no return. This is a matter that shows how serious the climate crisis has become. There are other senators in this chamber who joined me only a week ago in Tasmania at the CRC for Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems. We heard from the scientists there with regard to acidification of the ocean. Their study is published today in the journal Nature Geoscience.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND
WORKPLACE RELATIONS - 25/02/2009 - EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE
RELATIONS - Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

The Australian Greens have called for Prime Minister Rudd to follow President Obama's lead and launch a 30,000 green jobs target for Australia, acknowledging that the solution to climbing job losses is a renewable green economy.

Greens Deputy Leader Senator Christine Milne said that overnight, President Obama had reversed eight years of stonewalling by the US administration by setting higher vehicle fuel efficiency targets and signalling the US was prepared to lead the world on climate change.