Greens climate and energy spokesperson, Adam Bandt, said the government must listen to its own Climate Change Authority’s call to phase out coal-fired power, while expressing concern that the government has compromised the Authority’s ability to provide frank and fearless advice.

Tony Abbott tried to abolish the Climate Change Authority and then stacked its board with Coalition appointments, Mr Bandt said, but despite these restraints the Authority is calling on the government to do much more on climate change and energy policy.

Greens Employment & Industrial Relations spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today welcomed the High Court’s decision to rule against the government’s attempt to give fewer rights at work to people working on gas and oil projects in Australian waters and said the High Court has delivered the government a huge setback on day two of the new Parliament.

“The Greens welcome the High Court’s decision to stop the government removing rights at work from people working on offshore oil and gas projects in Australian seas,” Mr Bandt said.

Greens energy spokesperson Adam Bandt today said that the Greens will push to give the Commonwealth power for a national takeover of the energy market after the COAG meeting of Energy Ministers failed to deliver a co-operative plan to support renewable energy. Mr Bandt said the Greens will move when Parliament resumes to amend the national electricity laws to make cutting pollution an overriding goal of the energy system.

In response to Malcolm Turnbull’s call on Labor to back a ‘Budget repair’ bill containing $6.5 billion of harsh cuts, Greens Treasury spokesperson Adam Bandt MP proposed an alternative and fairer suite of measures to raise the same amount of money and urged Labor and the Coalition to back it.

In response to Environment & Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg’s comments that he will proceed with the $1.3 billion cut to ARENA grant funding, Greens Energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP called on Labor to abandon its support for the Liberals’ funding cuts.

“Labor must drop its election cut to ARENA and put out Josh Frydenberg’s renewable bonfire,” Mr Bandt said.

“The make up of the new Senate means we have an opportunity to protect the $1.3 billion of ARENA funding the Coalition wants to cut, but Labor needs to get on board.”

Following the CBA’s posting of another record profit, the Greens today said they would use their position in balance of power in the new Senate to push for a new levy on the big four banks and a banking Royal Commission.

Too Big to Fail Levy

Australian Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale and Greens Treasury Spokesperson Adam Bandt MP expressed strong disappointment at the savings measures announced today by the Labor party.

Greens Arts spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today released the Greens' plan to support artists to make a living and save for their retirement ahead of the National Arts Debate at the Wheeler Centre.

"Artists entertain, challenge and inspire us and are at the core of our cultural life, yet many artists can struggle to make a living," Mr Bandt said.

"Working as an artist often means working in casual or insecure work, making it difficult for artists to save or plan for their retirement."

Greens MP Adam Bandt today confirmed that the Greens will preference Labor second in the fiver inner-city Melbourne seats of Melbourne, Batman, Wills, Higgins and Melbourne Ports.

“The Greens have made it very clear that we will not be preferencing the Liberals anywhere, yet Labor is on the verge of striking a preference deal with the Liberals,” Mr Bandt said.

“Labor would preference the Liberals ahead of Nick Xenophon candidates in some South Australian seats in return for the Liberals preferencing Labor ahead of the Greens in seats like Batman and Grayndler.”

Greens announce support for solar on homes and businesses