The Greens have welcomed the ACCC’s plan to raise awareness on the dangers of lithium batteries.

 “Five children are taken to emergency wards around the country every week after swallowing lithium batteries, and we welcome any action taken to raise awareness and prevent further disasters,” Greens Consumer Affairs spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said. 

“Parents need to be aware of this danger in every Australian household and the fact that these tiny batteries can fall into tiny hands.

Senator WRIGHT (South Australia) (11:02):  I rise to speak on the Marine Engineers Qualifications Bill 2013. The Australian Greens are pleased that this bill is before the Senate today. This is a bill which we supported in the House of Representatives, where it was introduced as a private member's bill, debated and recommended for a vote.

A mandatory national scheme is needed to make Australian companies work towards improving the terrible and dangerous conditions in foreign sweatshops, like those revealed in a Four Corners report this evening, the Australian Greens have said.

“The real cost of Australia’s cheap clothes isn’t measured in dollars and cents, it’s measured in human suffering,” the Greens’ consumer affairs spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

There is concern across the Tasmanian wine industry that Tasmanian Forestry Agreement (TFA) funding will be used to push for investment in new  "supply driven" growth - in the form of significant new vineyard plantings - leading to the quadrupling of the industry over the next 10 years.

The Greens vision for the future of Tasmania's diversified, brand-driven economy was today supported by an independent feasibility study of a locally owned and branded abattoir on King Island.

Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson and Tasmanian MP Basil O'Halloran recently visited King Island to introduce financial experts to beef farmers in a move to promote the development of a new independent, farmer owned abattoir on the Island.

Australian Greens spokesperson on competition policy, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, welcomed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announcement yesterday that it would oppose the proposed acquisition by Woolworths Limited (Woolworths) of a supermarket site at Glenmore Ridge in the suburb of Glenmore Park, New South Wales.  It was the first time the ACCC has made such a ruling on a proposed site, rather than an existing supermarket.

The Australian Greens today have called on Labor and the Coalition to support changes to food labelling laws in the wake of concerns Simplot could close facilities in both Tasmania and NSW due to falling profits.

"We know consumers want to support Australian farmers and producers but the current food labelling rules are just too confusing," said Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, spokesperson for trade and competition policy.

"A vital step the old parties can take to support our producers and food industry is to back a Greens Bill to change food labelling laws.

Greens Deputy Leader Adam Bandt has welcomed the government's introduction of anti-dumping legislation, but says the government must now work on local content rules for investments.

"These anti-dumping measures are long overdue", Mr Bandt said

"But these measures alone will not address the problems our manufacturers face. Unless we have strong rules on local content, manufacturing will continue to be squeezed," Adam Bandt said today.

Today, Mark Brennan, the Australian Small Business Commissioner, backed the Australian Greens call for a Tasmanian Small Business Commissioner to support the needs of small business in the State.  The Australian Greens spokesperson for small business, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, welcomed Mr. Brennan's statement, made at the Australian Government's Small Business Forum in Launceston this afternoon, that a Tasmanian Small Business Commissioner was a terrific concept and all states without such a commissioner should consider one.