The Australian Greens said today that they remain the only party with effective policies on the table to reduce the incidence of poverty in Western Australia.

The new WA Council of Social Service Cost Of Living Report released today shows that a lack of affordable housing, increased living costs and inadequate levels of income support are driving Western Australians below the poverty line, with job seekers, single parents and families on low or fixed incomes most at risk.

A new report shows the housing crisis is making it harder for jobseekers to find work, the Greens said today.

Greens housing spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said the report released today by Australians for Affordable Housing made clear that the lack of affordable housing in Australia is entrenching disadvantage.

The Australian Greens said today that neither the Government nor Tony Abbott's Coalition have the vision or conviction needed to help families and vulnerable people deal with the nation's worsening housing crisis.

Anglicare's Rental Snapshot surveyed almost 57,000 properties across Australia, and paints a grim picture for families and people on income support.

The Australian Greens have called for an immediate inquiry into the cause of the shipping accident and subsequent oil spill at Christmas Island.

"This accident could cause devastating impacts on the marine environment around Christmas Island, with little hope of clean up or remediation,” Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens marine spokesperson said today.

The Australian Greens are calling on the Government to reassess the latest version of the NT Intervention, Stronger Futures, with evaluations conducted by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations showing key aspects of the policy are ineffective.

As it introduces new intervention measures in the Northern Territory, the Government is keen to talk about the effectiveness of existing policies in tackling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage.

Reports with glossy pages and matching colour schemes cannot hide the reality that the programs they discuss are costly, ineffective and are not based on sound evidence.

A report released by The Australia Institute report has shown that community concerns about the social and economic impact around the James Price Point development are justified, the Australian Greens said today.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on the Kimberley said today that The Australia Institute’s report -  Mining the truth: The rhetoric and reality of the commodities boom highlights why West Australians are right to wonder about the expansion of the sector into areas such as the Kimberley.

An administrative error made more than ten years ago could see destructive bottom trawler fishing undertaken in important fishing and environmental areas in WA's North West waters.

The error, in a 1998 amendment to the Offshore Constitutional Settlement between the Federal and State Government, removes WA’s right to control fishing within previously protected areas of water depth of less than 200m in the North West Slope Trawl Fishery.