This edition of Simms in the Senate covers Senator Robert Simms' recent work on promoting green jobs for SA, protecting the Great Australian Bight, standing with the community against a nuclear waste dump in regional SA, phasing out live animal export, and the latest campaign news on marriage equality, Safe Schools, tertiary education, and more.

The Federal government has today confirmed its abandonment of full Gonski funding, Greens spokesperson for Schools Nick McKim says.

“Today’s announcement of funding for ‘high-performing’ schools will redirect resources to the top, and risks reigniting the funding battle between public and private schools,” Senator McKim said.

"It will also work against States, Territories and schools with more disadvantaged students."

The Australian Greens say Prime Minister Turnbull has now put public school funding in the too-hard-basket, along with health

"Instead of having the courage to raise the revenue we need to pay for quality schools and hospitals, the Liberals are handing all their responsibilities over to the states," said Greens Leader Richard Di Natale.

"The suggestion that the federal government may not provide any funding for public schools is an extraordinary abandonment of one of the government's key responsibilities.

The Australian Greens have slammed the Government's decision to wind back the Safe Schools Coalition after the conservative backbench demanded a review into the program.

"It is clear that Malcolm Turnbull has thrown LGBTI young people under the bus today by bowing to the right-wing backbench bullies and stripping back the Safe Schools program. If the likes of George Christensen can chalk this up as a victory, alarm bells will be ringing for LGBTI students and their families," Greens sexuality spokesperson Senator Robert Simms said.

The Australian Greens are calling for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to stand up to the conservative backbenchers trying to derail and discredit the vital work of the Safe Schools Coalition.

"The lives of LGBTI young people are on the line here. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull needs to draw a line in the sand - he can't throw LGBTI kids under the bus just to ensure he maintains power," Greens sexuality spokesperson Senator Robert Simms said.

"It's time for Mr Turnbull to stand for something and protecting LGBTI young people is a good first step."

The backbench MPs opposed to the Safe Schools Coalition must drop their attack on the program following the Government's review and move on, say the Greens.

"This review was pointless to begin with and now we've got coalition MPs throwing a tantrum because they don't like the outcome. They need to put the safety and well-being of LGBTI young people ahead of their political ideology and stop their homophobic crusade against Safe Schools," Greens sexuality spokesperson Senator Robert Simms said.

The Australian Greens will tonight table two petitions - one from the Greens and one from international LGBTIQ advocacy group All Out - totaling more 70,000 signatures supporting Safe Schools. The petitions were launched in response to Senator Cory Bernardi's petition of 9499 that lead to the Prime Minister calling for an investigation into the program.

The Greens have continued their unwavering support for fairer schools funding with the announcement of a $3.5 billion needs-based package to bring about sector blind, equitable funding for all our schools.

“We have never wavered from including years five and six of the National Education Reform Agreement in our costed election platform,” Greens Leader Richard Di Natale said.

“We've had this policy costed at $3.5bn above the Coalition’s schools budget, which has slashed years five and six of NERA.”