The Greens currently have a bill before House and the Senate which would close the royalties loopholes. The Greens will now also move amendments to close additional loopholes in the mining tax, which allow mining companies to exaggerate the value of their assets to get a higher tax break.

Closing the depreciation loophole, which allows the big miners to deduct the market value of existing assets over many years instead of deducting the book value over 5 years, could eventually save almost $2 billion a year in lost revenue.

Greens Leader, Christine Milne, and Deputy Leader, Adam Bandt, have welcomed the support of lower house cross-benchers for a Greens bill to plug the royalties hole in the MRRT.

Following Senator Milne's introduction of the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (Protecting Revenue) Bill 2012 into the Senate, Mr Bandt today gave notice he will introduce the bill into the house.

The bill will ensure the Commonwealth loses no revenue when State governments raise royalties and will generate $2.2bn in revenue over the next 3 years.

The failure of the Federal Government's mining tax to raise any revenue demonstrates the folly of Labor's capitulation to the big three mining companies, the Greens said today.

Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam said Labor should have adopted Treasury's original model or voted for the amendments the Greens moved in the Senate.

Amidst reports that the first plane load of refugees will leave for Nauru later today, the Government has refused to explain its use of force protocols for executing the transfers and appears to have disregarded the Nauru government's specific condition that force not be used against refugees.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young requested information about use of force in the Senate question time today from Minister Lundy.

The Australian Greens today condemned the passing of the Nauru designation instrument as the Government and Coalition voted down Greens amendments that would have limited the harm caused to refugees by the Gillard government's new Pacific ‘Solution'.

"Labor and the Coalition have given the green light to dump children, unaccompanied minors and pregnant women in prison camps on Nauru indefinitely with no protections, against the expert advice of humanitarian organisations including the UN" said Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

The Greens predict a mental health crisis and a return to the horrors of the Pacific Solution as the Government's designation for Nauru contains no protections or welfare standards.

"It is a sad day when we see the Labor Party moving to dump vulnerable refugees, including children, on an island prison with no time limit on their detention or proper safeguards to care for them.

The Australian Greens today announced that they will introduce a bill in the Senate to establish an independent panel of expert physicians to oversee the health and mental health of asylum seekers and refugees in indefinite offshore detention.

"The Expert Health Care Panel proposed by the Greens will add some humanity to an otherwise inhumane policy" said Greens' immigration spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

The Australian Greens today called on the Government to clarify the terms agreed with PNG on the duration of offshore detention of refugees and confirm whether multinational engineering company Transfield Services is contracted to operate the offshore facilities.

"The Prime Minister must clarify how long vulnerable refugees will be dumped offshore - indefinitely is not an option' said Greens' immigration spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young today.

The Greens today welcomed the Government's progress with bilateral negotiations with Indonesia to improve search and rescue operations in our region, but called on the Government to clarify protocols around how and when Australia will take responsibility for rescued asylum seekers.

This video is courtesy of ABC's Insiders. The website with the video and full transcript is available here:  http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/content/2012/s3581093.htm