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Bob embraces his turn in the spotlight

Greens leader Bob Brown hugs partner Paul Thomas after addressing the National Press Club in Canberra yesterday

this year. ensuring Family First's Steve Brown conceded he would not
He has already led an extraordinary Fielding is stripped of his veto scuttle Labor's proposed mining
life. powers. tax by voting it down if it failed to
In a previous incarnation he was How would Brown and a dominant agree with his amendments.
one of the doctors on duty in a Greens party use this new power? "We'll take the government's
London hospital the night they Far from attempting to reassure $9.5bn over the forward estimates,
brought in Jimi Hendrix, dead nervous voters that he would toe rather than Tony Abbott's zero," he
from a drug overdose. the line, he yesterday predicted that said.
His campaign against the Franklin a carbon tax was coming and Senator Brown wants to increase
Dam in Tasmania led to him being confirmed he wanted to increase the tax rate for the 7000
arrested and jailed for 19 days in the mining tax by a further $2 Australians earning more than $1
Hobart's Risdon prison. billion — to fund increased million a year, too — to 50 per
And now, he stands ready for investment in public schools. cent.
ROBERT James Brown was fired his Cheryl Kernot moment. "I do have a vision for Australia. And he would push for a rethink
up at the National Press Club. Saturday's election holds the And I won't be consulting the on gay marriage.
And why wouldn't he be? prospect of the Greens controlling telephone book to refine it," he Young people, he said, were "in
At an age when many among his the balance of power in the next declared, in a swipe at Julia revolt" over the position of the
generation are looking forward Senate. That wouldn't change over, Gillard's ridiculed citizens' major parties.
to claiming the age pension, Bob of course, until next year. assembly climate change idea. maidens@theaustralian.com.au
Brown is on the verge of becoming But, if the Greens win a seat in the "I won't be asking you to suspend
one of the most powerful political ACT at this election — not an belief unless it is written down," he
players in Australia. impossible dream — the candidate, added, having a go at Tony
Page 8, The Australian,
He will celebrate his 66th birthday Lin Hatfield Dodds, will be Abbott's gospel truth.
parachuted straight into the Senate, Thursday, 19-8-10

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