With the family reunion visa system struggling due to limited places, long waiting lists and excessive fees, the Australian Greens have outlined a plan to restore integrity to the beleaguered program.

The Greens plan would immediately make 10,000 more family reunion places available each year and then initiate a detailed review of the family reunion program.

"The family reunion program simply isn't working anymore and we need to get it back on track," the Greens' immigration spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Australian Greens will ensure funding for community digital radio, saving the sector from Malcolm Turnbull’s plan to axe funding and, ultimately, the community radio sector.

Greens MP Adam Bandt said the Greens have a long history of supporting the vital work of community broadcasting and that, without funding to support digital broadcasting, the entire sector risks being left behind.

New costings from the independent Parliamentary Budget Office show the Budget would be $51b better off it the government’s big business tax cuts were blocked, suggesting the measure will cost more than the $48b estimated by the government, said Greens Treasury spokesperson, Adam Bandt.

“This report delivers the death blow to any argument that big business tax cuts are affordable,” said Mr Bandt.

Greens’ Treasury spokesperson Adam Bandt today announced that the Greens would save $11bn over the next four years by reining in unfair and unsustainable superannuation tax concessions, while supporting low income earners to save for their retirement.

“Unfair tax breaks for superannuation are becoming unsustainable and fair reform is needed,” said Mr Bandt.

“People deserve a tax break when they contribute to their superannuation, but by making the tax breaks less generous for higher income earners we can save $11bn to fund schools and hospitals.”

The Australian Greens today launched the first part of their arts policy, which will reverse the Liberals’ attacks on the arts by restoring their funding cuts and invest an additional $270.2 million into the Australian arts sector. The Greens will commit to disbanding the controversial Catalyst fund run by the Ministry for the Arts and restoring the full funding the Liberal government cut from the Australia Council of the Arts. In addition, the Greens will double the amount of funding for the council’s Grants and Initiatives for small to medium arts organisations and individual artists.

Following the Reserve Bank’s estimate that the major banks in Australia receive implicit public support worth up to about $4 billion a year, Greens Treasury spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today called on Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten to adopt the Greens’ proposal for a ‘Public Support Levy’ on the big four banks that would raise almost $15 billion of revenue over four years. The Customer Owned Banking Association has estimated that the support is worth $2.9 to $4.5 billion.

Greens Energy spokesperson Adam Bandt has welcomed reports that Australia’s dirtiest coal fired power station, Hazelwood, may close, but warned that Federal and State governments urgently need to put in place polices to ensure an orderly retirement of coal fired powered stations and a transition for the affected communities.

Hazelwood’s parent company Engie is reported to have said, in evidence to the French Senate, that it is reviewing the future of Hazelwood, including possible closure.

Greens Treasury spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said the Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Outlook released today confirms there are bleak economic conditions ahead if the government continues with its fiscal policy. Mr Bandt said the time is ripe for governments to take advantage of low interest rates and responsibly increase borrowing to fund productive infrastructure, including clean, renewable energy projects. Mr Bandt added that the lowest wages growth in at least 18 years reported since the Budget confirms that now is not the time for unaffordable and unfair income tax cuts.

The Australian Greens want to put Australia on a path to spending 4% of GDP on science and research by 2030.

Announcing the policy at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in the electorate of Melbourne, Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale and Science and Industry spokesperson Adam Bandt MP said the policy would make Australia a world leader in investment in research and development.

Greens Employment & Industrial Relations spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said the government’s proposal for changes to workplace laws may not help the exploited 7-Eleven workers, nor prevent future widespread exploitation in franchises.