government negotiating with greens and others

ABC Online
Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan says he is willing to look at suggestions from the Greens on changes to the Government's economic rescue plan.

The $42 billion package is yet to pass the Upper House and the cross-bench Senators have raised a number of concerns.

Mr Swan says he has had constructive discussions with the Greens leader Bob Brown.

"One of the issues he raised was bikeways - we'll have a look at that," he said.

"It's in everybody's interest that we have the full support of the whole community, the whole of the Parliament and all of the Senate behind this package."

The Greens also want to make sure new public housing is energy efficient and have raised questions provisions in the plan for unemployed people.

Senator Brown has told the ABC's AM program he is not convinced the unemployed are being treated fairly in the package.

"It's taken the Government three days to point to a line in the appendix which says people on Newstart, that's unemployed people, may be able to qualify if they undertake further training," he said.

"This is the only group that's going to have a qualification or a requirement put upon them."

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says there may be a better way of spending the money.

"When you have a number of leading commentators saying that we should be looking at fixing at the Murray Darling Basin for instance, spending the money on fundamental infrastructure that will improve productive capacity in the economy," he said.

"That's the sort of thing that needs to be considered."

With the Government desperate to get the package through Parliament, Senator Xenophon expects a torrid round of negotiations.

"It was a hell of a week last week and next week is going to be significantly worse," he said.

The senators have left Canberra for the weekend but will continue their inquiry into the plan, with a vote expected late next week.

Dave R.