The Australian Greens are pleased that their negotiating skills in the Federal Senate secured funding for eight ACT heritage sites, including three historic huts at Namadgi National Park and the telescope dome on Mt Stromlo.  Both were damaged in the 2003 Canberra bushfires. 

The heritage funding is part of the Australian Government’s $650 million Jobs Fund and is set to generate 66 jobs in the ACT.

The Australian Greens are pleased to today announce more than $5.5 million to be spent on local WA heritage projects that will create more than 90 new local, sustainable jobs and traineeships across the State.
“Back in February, Australia’s five Greens Senators used their balance-of-power position, shared with the two Independents in the Senate, to negotiate some key wins for job seekers and the environment in the Government’s $42 billion economic stimulus package,” Greens Senator for WA Scott Ludlam said.

Senator LUDLAM (Western Australia) (11.24 am)

Senator LUDLAM-I am interested in pursuing some of the same issues in terms of the increased

The right of public servants to make a disclosure in the public interest must be protected by new whistleblower laws, if the Government is serious about being more open and accountable, say the Australian Greens.

The Greens have welcomed the release of legislation to reform Australia's freedom of information regime, but say the government must put processes in place to create a genuinely open culture in the public service.

"Reform of Australia's freedom of information laws are well over due and the release of this legislation is an important first step in making government more open, transparent and accountable," said the Greens Attorney Generals Spokesperson, Senator Scott Ludlam.

Figures obtained by the Australian Greens reveal the high risk of mishap from the uranium industry at a time when the WA Government is trying to hose down the danger.

“Data on train and truck accidents show how risky it would be to transport uranium around WA, as planned by the many companies that already have mining licences covering WA uranium ore bodies,” Greens Nuclear Spokesperson Scott Ludlam said.

Successful negotiations by the Australian Greens will soon see money flowing to Western Australian local councils, creating new jobs and improvements in local amenity.

Greens Senators Scott Ludlam and Rachel Siewert played a crucial role in enabling Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s economic stimulus package to pass through the Senate last week.

The Senators, both from WA, worked constructively with the Government to amend the package so that it would deliver a better return for taxpayers.