Today Senator Peter Whish-Wilson responded to Tony Abbott's promises on jobs by calling on him to come clean on what the Coalition plans really mean for Tasmania.

"He's apparently here to talk about jobs but what he is covering up is a Coalition jobs and wealth destruction plan.

"How many Tasmanian public servants will lose their jobs under an Abbott government?

"If he scraps the Clean Energy Package, how will he replace the $70m per annum boost from Hydro Tasmania used to help pay for healthcare, education and policing in this state?

The Australian Greens have announced a plan to ease the pressure on small business by expanding tax breaks and strengthening the role of the national Small Business Commissioner.

These new initiatives follow yesterday's announcement that the Greens would lower the company tax rate from 30% to 28% for companies with turnovers of less than $2 million dollars.

Small businesses play a vital role in the economy, providing jobs to almost half the workforce and they are part of the community in a way big business can never be. The Greens know the burden and risk that many people take on when they establish a business.

The old parties take the small business sector for granted, while their policies invariably promote the interests of big business and their lobbyists.

The Australian Greens understand the pressure that small businesses are feeling. We also recognise that a healthy small business sector means a strong Australian economy. They play a vital role in the economy, providing jobs to almost half the workforce. Small businesses are also part of the community in a way big business can never be.

The old parties take the small business sector for granted, while their policies invariably promote the interests of big business and their lobbyists.

Australian Greens spokesperson for small business, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson says the Greens' fully costed 2% tax cut to small businesses would support the companies that really need it in Tasmania. Small businesses employ 106,000 Tasmanians, almost half the island's labour force.

"The Greens are standing up for the small business sector which is vital for employment in Tasmania," Senator Whish-Wilson said.

"Supporting small businesses in Tasmania, with a full 2% tax cut, would help to ease the pressure they're under.

Australian Greens spokesperson for competition and small business, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, announced the Greens' plan to tackle big supermarket dominance ahead of today's public symposium on Supermarket Power in Australia sponsored by Monash University and the Melbourne University Law School.

"Our plan tackles the supermarket duopoly nationally, ensures fair competition for farmers and small business, and reforms competition policy so it serves the interests of the Tasmanian community, not just big business," Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said.

Australian Greens Small Business spokesperson, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, said that Prime Minister Rudd should be focused on the serious matter of small businesses yet to be paid for their work on the ASIO building rather than putting on a pre-election show.

"Today Prime Minister Rudd put on a show for the cameras at the new ASIO building while the $704 million federal government building project has resulted in an estimated 100 small businesses not being paid for their hard work," said Senator Peter Whish-Wilson.

A mandatory national scheme is needed to make Australian companies work towards improving the terrible and dangerous conditions in foreign sweatshops, like those revealed in a Four Corners report this evening, the Australian Greens have said.

“The real cost of Australia’s cheap clothes isn’t measured in dollars and cents, it’s measured in human suffering,” the Greens’ consumer affairs spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

There is concern across the Tasmanian wine industry that Tasmanian Forestry Agreement (TFA) funding will be used to push for investment in new  "supply driven" growth - in the form of significant new vineyard plantings - leading to the quadrupling of the industry over the next 10 years.