GREENS leader Bob Brown keeps seeing Kevin Rudd on television. But, he said yesterday he had not met the Prime Minister for more than six months - despite all the legislation piling up in the Senate.
His experience is not unique. Independent senator Nick Xenophon, another key Senate vote, said yesterday he had not met Mr Rudd face to face for a year or so, since they last had talks on the stimulus package.
''When I did have talks with him, they were very amiable,'' Senator Brown told the Ten Network. ''But no talks is, in its way, dismissive. No talks doesn't lead to progress.
''I went to see Tony Abbott the other day to make sure that he had no misapprehensions about the Greens. We talk with everybody.
''We take our responsibility in the Senate very seriously, but the government has to be more involved.''
With only 32 of the 76 Senate seats, Labor needs the support of the Greens, Senator Xenophon and Family First's Steven Fielding to pass any legislation opposed by the Coalition.
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