The Australian Greens say today's March in May #bustthebudget rally will send a clear message to the Abbott Government that their cruel budget will not be accepted by the Australian community.

"Tony Abbott is intent on taking opportunities away from West Australian students, job seekers, young people, people with disability and single parents," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on family and community services said today.

The Australian Greens said today that single parents and job seekers have been badly let down by the Government in this year's federal budget.

"This is a disappointing budget for the vulnerable people that Labor claim they want to look after," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on families and community services said today.

"The lack of care being shown for vulnerable people is a blight on Labor's record in Government.

"The few piecemeal steps contained in the budget do not deliver the help needed for the most vulnerable Australians.

The Greens will move a Private Member's Bill when parliament resumes to help some of Australia's most vulnerable people, currently being ignored by the Government, by lifting the single rate of Newstart, Abstudy and the single living away from home Youth Allowance by $50 a week and indexing their growth the same way as the Aged Pension.

The Greens will vigorously defend a vision for Australia that sees us properly and fairly support each other and provide universal public health and education against Joe Hockey's vision of a dog-eat-dog world where short term profits are more important than people and planet.

"The big question I've been asking people since becoming Leader of the Greens last week is what kind of country do we want to live in?" Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

WA Senators Rachel Siewert and Scott Ludlam say today's historic carbon price vote is the start of serious action on climate change.

"The passage of the Clean Energy Future package through the Senate represents a new beginning for our economy, with new industries and new jobs being created," Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown, Senator for Queensland Larissa Waters, Senators for Western Australia Rachel Siewert and Scott Ludlam, and Member for Melbourne Adam Bandt spoke to the media about the Australian Greens National Conference in Fremantle, WA.

Topics included the allocation of preferences, the environmental threats posed by developments in the Kimberley, and the Nationals' call for a "discussion paper" on coal seam gas. 

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WA families will be assisted with tax cuts and increased assistance as part of the newly announced package to put a price on carbon, the Australian Greens said today.

“Families in WA are already facing cost of living pressures and the Greens have been acutely aware of this throughout the carbon package negotiation process,” Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Family and Community Services said today.

“This package has been designed to minimise the financial impact on families, and assistance will be provided accordingly.

The Australian Greens, the Labor government and the Independent MPs today announced an historic agreement on a climate action package that will put a $23 per tonne price on carbon pollution, as was first proposed by the Greens, support householders and invest billions of dollars in clean, renewable energy.

This package, which the Greens have helped shape, is the first vital step towards tackling the climate crisis and building a cleaner, healthier, more secure Australia for all of us.