Today NSW Senator Lee Rhiannon will join Greens second Senate candidate Michael Osborne, Senate candidate Jane Oakley, candidate for Newcastle Dr John Mackenzie and candidate for Paterson John Brown to launch The Greens Jobs Rich Plan for the Hunter.

Download the Jobs Rich Plan for the hunter here. 

Greens New England candidate Mercurius Goldstein and Greens NSW Senator Lee Rhiannon say that the relocation of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to the Northern Tablelands smacks of pork barrelling three weeks before an election.

Mr Goldstein said: "It looks like Barnaby Joyce is relocating jobs to Armidale in an attempt to save his own.

"Mr Joyce should have waited for the results of a cost benefit analysis that we understand is required from the Prime Minister.

The Australian Greens are deeply saddened by the death of our colleague and friend John Kaye.

Our hearts go out to his partner, Lynne, and his family at this time of deep loss.

It was only three months ago that John stepped back from his duties in the NSW Parliament to undergo treatment for his aggressive illness.

Greens NSW Senator Lee Rhiannon will question officials from the Department of Science and Industry at the February Senate Budget Estimates hearing on their latest serious mismanagement of the location for the proposed nuclear waste dump at Hill End.

"The Department has caused more distress and concern among local residents by giving an inaccurate location for the proposed dump and then taking more than eight weeks to publicly disclose the actual location they are targeting," Senator Rhiannon said.

Sallys Flat, near the historic gold mining town of Hill End, is on the federal government's shortlist of sites to house a nuclear waste storage facility.

The Greens believe that the Illawarra in New South Wales can be a leader in production of low coal steel. Making it here is good for employment, the environment  and the economy.

Following the release of the BIS Shrapnel report on a government procurement plan for steel the Greens have renewed their call for the NSW and federal governments to immediately adopt procurement frameworks for all publicly funded projects.

BIS Shrapnel recommends a minimum requirement of 85 to 90 per cent Australian steel use in all government products. Their report shows that a procurement plan would rescue the Port Kembla blast furnace.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (16:22): I move: