Robert Simms has been sworn in this morning as the Australian Greens' new Senator for South Australia, replacing Penny Wright who stood down for personal reasons earlier this year. Senator Simms will make his first speech to the Senate at 5pm on Tuesday 13 October.

"It's a great privilege to be able to represent my state of South Australia and carry on the good work that Penny Wright did as Senator," said Senator Simms.

"I am excited to be part of such a strong team and look forward to working closely with my new Greens colleagues.

The Greens have today called for the community to come together in the wake of the brutal shooting of police accountant Curtis Cheng outside the police headquarters in Parramatta on Friday afternoon.

“My heartfelt thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends of Curtis Cheng and Farhad Khalil Mohammad Jabar,” said Richard Di Natale, leader of The Australian Greens.

“This is tragic event. A fifteen year old boy committing such a hateful act will have a deep impact on our national psyche.

Greens Leader Richard Di Natale visited a local medical centre with rooftop solar today, on the campaign trail with Greens candidate for Canning Dr Vanessa Rauland.

"People here have a choice: you can stick with the past and vote for Tony Abbott, or you can choose a clean, renewable, jobs-rich, pollution-free future. That's what the Greens are putting forward to the people of Canning," said Senator Di Natale.

Nick McKim has been sworn in this morning as the Australian Greens' new Senator for Tasmania, replacing former leader Christine Milne.

"I'm honoured and excited to have been sworn in today as the Greens' new Senator for Tasmania," said Senator McKim.

"I become a Senator at a tough time for our country, with a dysfunctional government that is governing for itself and not for the Australian people, but a really exciting time for the Greens.

The Australian Greens are pleased to announce that former Tasmanian Greens Leader Nick McKim has been elected by a ballot of members to become the next Greens Senator for Tasmania. Mr McKim will fill a casual vacancy in the Senate, created by the resignation of Christine Milne.

“I want to thank the Tasmanian Greens members for giving me this honour and I will do everything I can to repay the faith they have put in me,” McKim said. “Replacing someone of Christine’s calibre will be a huge challenge, but one that I’m really looking forward to.”