The Australian Greens have warned against the Government's rush to legislate an online site-blocking scheme and today called on the Labor Party to delay a final vote on the bill when it comes before the Senate next week.

"The Government has proceeded with a punitive site blocking regime and completely ignored more practical options for copyright reform that have been on the table for years, Senator Scott Ludlam, Australian Greens communications spokesperson said today.

The Greens have combined with the Labor Party and Senate crossbenchers to initiate an inquiry into Senator George Brandis’ unprecedented raid on Commonwealth Arts funding. 

“The Government sent shock waves through the arts community with its $105 million budget-night raid on the Australia Council. Senator Brandis has established his own Departmental funding pool with no guidelines and no evident purpose apart from to play favourites and undermine the independence of the Australia Council,” Australian Greens communications spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said today. 

The Government and ‘Opposition' today used their combined numbers to vote down a senate motion acknowledging a key US legal finding that mass-collection of telecommunications records was unlawful.

The motion was moved by Australian Greens communications spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam.

"This motion called on the Senate, which just months ago passed a data retention scheme, to acknowledge the reality that the US Court of Appeals has ruled the bulk collection of telecommunications metadata by US Government agencies to be unlawful," Senator Ludlam said today.

The Australian Greens will oppose the Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill 2015, releasing a dissenting report as part of the Senate Inquiry into the bill.

The dissenting report, outlining serious concerns with the bill, was prepared by Senator Scott Ludlam, Australian Greens deputy leader and spokesperson on communications.

The full report is available here.