It's been a bit of a Bizzaro World in Australian federal politics in recent weeks.

This month the world is learning about the ongoing famine in the Horn of Africa, where about 12 million people have been hit by the worst drought in almost 60 years. Australia has pledged more than $11 million in aid. It's heart-wrenching to see malnourished children in refugee camps in Kenya with tubes in their noses to feed them because their hungry mothers cannot.

Published in The West Australian: 11 July 2011

Sunday's announcement of the carbon price package fires the starting gun on the long-overdue clean energy transition.
Western Australia is uniquely placed to benefit from the enormous shift in investment as polluting industries are taxed for the first time and the clean technology sector finally gets the support it deserves.
While all eyes have been on the dollar cost of venting a tonne of C02 into the atmosphere, the Greens have negotiated a broad range of additional measures intended to supercharge the zero emissions economy. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will be responsible for disbursing more than $3 billion in renewable energy project funding. In addition, a new Clean Energy Finance Corporation will have a $2 billion annual budget funded from carbon tax revenues, a massive injection that is expected to leverage additional billions in private investment.

Yesterday was a great day for the Greens. Our team in the Federal Parliament went from six to 10 with Governor-General Quentin Bryce presiding over the swearing-in of 12 senators from around the country who were elected in August last year.

The following letter to the editor of The Australian was submitted on 21 June 2011:

Dear Editor

As I told your Canberra reporter on 20 June 2011, but you did not report to your readers, the difference between action on a republic and climate change is that the former requires a change to the Constitution and the latter requires a decision by the Parliament, as already empowered by the Constitution. The former requires a plebiscite and referendum, the latter requires neither - if you believe in the responsibility of Parliament.

Yours sincerely

Senator Bob Brown
Australian Greens Leader

The following comment has been submitted to The Punch in response to Malcolm Farr's piece:

Malcolm Farr is in such a sour mood! We all go to the press gallery ball and have a good time but he comes up with that anti-Greens grizzle. Yes, I did insist on paying for the tickets - that meant an extra $250 for charity - but Malcolm begrudges it. Though he didn't raise the matter with me at the ball.

And yes, I do have to consider whether this entertainment special should have precedence over the major issues now at critical mass - such as negotiations on saving our nation from the onrush of destructive climate change and the fate of budget bills that threaten hard times for disabled Australians.

After all, not all the press gallery's senior players went to the MidWinter Ball. I did and, as well, some kind donor is giving $3,150 for charity by buying the simple pleasure of a pre-breakfast walk with me in Canberra in coming weeks.

Malcolm is welcome to come along too - the fresh air won't do him anything but good.

Bob Brown

Tens of thousands of people attended peaceful rallies around the country on Sunday in support of action on climate change, despite the Coalition and News Ltd media empire's negative campaign against cutting pollution via a carbon tax.

Over the past few months supporters of the Make Change Melbourne project have hit the streets to promote action on climate change. We have been holding local MP listening posts at supermarkets, doorknocking, letterboxing and engaging with residents on the plan to cut pollution.

Now we are starting the next phase of our project. We hope you can be involved as we continue our conversation with Melbourne residents.

Over the next couple of weeks we will have 300 phone conversations with Melbourne residents to talk about their priorities for Melbourne and what issues are important to them.

Sign up here with Calling Melbourne

We will be asking our neighbours how they feel about national and local issues and what they would like to see Adam doing in Parliament and the community.

This is vital work that will help give the Melbourne community the best representation possible.

We are inviting all supporters to sign up to the roster and help make calls from Adam's office. If you have any friends who you think might enjoy getting involved, bring them along - we'll make a night of it and it will be an opportunity to connect with other Make Change Melbourne volunteers.

Please click here and slot yourself in for a shift or two. We will be in touch with the details.

This is a great opportunity to be part of Make Change Melbourne and to get an insders look at the work of Adam's office.

Thanks for taking action in Melbourne.

Jake, Sam, Damien and the Make Change Melbourne Project

P.S. Thanks to eveyone who helped with the 100% renewables doorknocking on Saturday. Along with Yarra Climate Action Now and the Darebin Climate Action Group around 40 volunteers doorknocked 500 residents on clean energy. Check out the photo of our crew here.

If medals were handed out for inaction, Australia's water ministers would take the gold.