Greens employment spokesperson and Acting Leader, Adam Bandt, today welcomed an ACTU push to improve the rights of Australians in 'insecure work'.

"A portable leave system is a great idea. The Greens urge the government to act on this in the first half of next year," said Mr Bandt.

"With casual and insecure work now becoming the norm, people work many jobs in their lives. The changing nature of work means people are less likely to stay in one job for a long time."

A Greens-initiated parliamentary inquiry will consider how Federal Parliament can step in to protect Queensland public sector workers, said Greens Deputy Leader and employment spokesperson, Adam Bandt.

Responding to a decision today of the Queensland Supreme Court to uphold State laws that stripped protection from public sector workers, Mr Bandt said federal intervention was now necessary.

“State public sector workers should not have fewer rights than their federal counterparts,” Mr Bandt said.

The Australian Industry Group, Innes Willox, is living in another world when it comes to insecure work, Greens Deputy Leader Adam Bandt said today.

Writing in today's Australian Financial Review, Mr Willox attacked the push by the ACTU and the Greens for ‘secure work orders' to tackle the growing problem of insecure work.

"Mr Willox is living in another world if he thinks the millions of people in insecure work are all there by choice," Mr Bandt said.

Greens Deputy Leader and workplace relations spokesperson Adam Bandt MP says the Prime Minister needs to get on top of the growing problem of insecure work.

Speaking to a Hobart media conference with Greens Leader Christine Milne, Mr Bandt said it is good that the Prime Minister has acknowledged the problem but is disappointing to see Labor avoiding responsibility for action.

Mr Bandt said next year's Employment Committee inquiry into his private member's bill on tackling job insecurity will be an opportunity for Labor to make up its mind on action.

As public servants across Australia are losing their jobs, the Australian Greens today have succeeded in establishing a Senate inquiry into how the Australian Government can better protect public sector workers from State Government attacks.

"Conservative governments are wielding the knife and public sector workers are looking to the federal Parliament to act,” Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Adam Bandt, said.

Greens Deputy Leader Adam Bandt will introduce a private members bill on Monday designed to help the millions of Australians impacted by insecure working arrangements.

The Fair Work Amendment (Tackling Job Insecurity) Bill 2012 will implement a number of recommendations of the landmark ‘Lives on Hold' report, conducted by the former Deputy Prime Minister, Brian Howe, released by the ACTU in May.

The Bill amends the Fair Work Act to provide a process for workers employed on an ‘insecure' basis to be moved to ongoing employment on a part-time or full-time basis.

The Australian Greens say MPs in both houses of Parliament have failed to make a stand in support of vulnerable Australians living on low rates of income support, such as Newstart. 

Senator Rachel Siewert and Greens Deputy Leader Adam Bandt, MP for Melbourne today both moved motions in Parliament calling for a commitment from the Government to increase the rate of Newstart Allowance by $50 per week.

"Newstart is fundamentally inadequate for supporting people - be they looking for work or raising kids. 

Greens Deputy Leader and banking spokesperson Adam Bandt MP says the Greens will move for a Senate inquiry into the government's 'Unclaimed Money' bill, to examine concerns about how the measures will impact on consumers and superannuation fund members.

The MYEFO measure will mean inactive super, bank and life insurance accounts would be transferred to the Commonwealth.

"The Greens support the goals of this bill, but the measures in relation to bank accounts and life insurance have not had proper public discussion and need to be examined in an inquiry," Mr Bandt said.

Today's projected budget surplus is on the back of single parents, trainees and apprentices, researchers and job-seekers, instead of sensibly plugging loopholes in the mining tax and building a stronger revenue base for future investments, the Australian Greens said.

"Today's Budget update confirms that Labor is more committed to Australia being a coal country than a caring or clever country," Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.