Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (21:43): The New South Wales Premier, Mike Baird, is waging a war on trees-quite literally, a war on trees. It is extremely destructive, occasioning great hurt, and right now he is not stopping. In one suburb, Randwick, along Anzac Parade, 400 trees are being turned into woodchips. These are beautiful trees-trees that are habitat to an amazing array of birds, possums and an incredible number of insects. The biodiversity is considerable. Many of these trees are now being destroyed by 'Mike Baird's chainsaw massacre'.

The Greens' plan for Australia's housing crisis calls for a National Housing Roadmap which will end homelessness by 2020, build new social housing homes and new affordable rentals over the next decade, and kickstart an Australian-made prefabricated housing industry.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (22:19):

Increasing numbers of homeless people - the ugly side of the $1 million price tag for a Sydney home - require fast tracking far reaching reforms to negative gearing and capital gains tax, Greens NSW Senator Lee Rhiannon said today.

"The Sydney housing crisis should be a top priority of the NSW and federal governments," Senator Rhiannon said.

"Prime Minister Tony Abbott should speak up for those in his home city who are doing it tough with no relief in sight for secure housing.

"The working of the housing market excludes increasing numbers of people.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (19:37): On another matter, the Liberal Premier, Michael Baird, is seen as the fresh face of the can-do leader of Australia's biggest state. But when you look behind the smiles and the spin, this regime is looking more and more like another Liberal government that is rarely talked about in Liberal circles. Usually parties are proud of their history, but there is one part of Liberal party history that has been airbrushed away. The Askin government was in power in New South Wales from 1965 till 1975.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (15:56): I move:

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (19:37): It is a week since Treasurer Joe Hockey said: 'If housing was unaffordable in Sydney nobody would be buying it.' This disastrous bit of ad libbing from the Treasurer gives us a useful insight into exactly how out of touch with reality he is. The latest Fairfax Ipsos poll, released a few days ago, shows that 80 per cent of Sydneysiders believe that housing in Sydney is unaffordable-80 per cent!-and just three per cent believe that local housing in Sydney is 'very affordable'.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (22:19): The New South Wales Liberal and National parties are hell-bent on selling off our collective wealth. While Premier Michael Baird might put a smiley face on the harsh coalition policies, he is not dissimilar from his friend and neighbour, Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Privatisation is a key election platform for the NSW Liberal and National parties. Support for big business, particularly by opening up the sale of public services and assets, is the foundation of the New South Wales coalition government.

The Australian Senate has passed a Greens’ motion calling on the NSW government to reverse its policy of selling public housing and to continue funding the Glebe Community Development Project.

Greens Balmain MP Jamie Parker has welcomed the Senate's support for public housing in Glebe.

“This is a small but important victory for the Glebe Community Development Project,” NSW Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon said.

Retain funding for specialist women-only services  – Senate backs Greens motion

 The Australian Senate today passed a Greens motion calling on state and federal governments to retain funding for specialist women-only services to allow them to offer independent, high quality and culturally appropriate services.

“It is truly shameful that the NSW Liberal government is forcing the closure of several women’s refuges in NSW while other will see their services cut back.