Australia's whole stock of public and community housing would be retrofitted with solar panels to ease power bills for low income earners and make them more comfortable to live in, under a Greens plan announced today.

The nationwide upgrade of Australia's 421,000 public and community dwellings by 2030 would cost $2000 per house to install a 2Kw solar PV system,  energy efficient appliances, as part of a host of refurbishments to make the homes cheaper to run and more comfortable to live in.

The Australian Greens would containerise nuclear waste at Lucas Heights waste facility while an independent, national inquiry into radioactive waste production and management was undertaken.

The dedicated public inquiry would investigate best possible management options for storing nuclear waste, consideration of waste minimisation options while maintaining the federal legislative prohibitions on the importation, storage and disposal of international nuclear waste.

Greens Senator for SA Robert Simms has challenged conservative Family First Senator Bob Day to a debate ahead of the July 2 election following the launch of the website www.robnotbob.com.

"The final senate seat in South Australia is likely to come down to myself or Bob Day, and the choice couldn't be starker. The climate change denying, homophobia of the Family First party versus the progressive, forward-looking agenda of the Greens," Senator Simms said.

The Australian Greens have welcomed plans from a second company working towards building a solar thermal plant in Port Augusta.

"It's fantastic to see a second solid proposal to build a solar thermal plant in Port Augusta. The world is seeing what the community and The Greens have seen for years: Port Augusta is on the cusp of being a renewables powerhouse," Greens Senator for South Australia Robert Simms said.

Transitioning to a renewable economy and building a solar thermal plant in the mid-north should be prioritised as Port Augusta's coal-fired power stations are today shut down for good, The Australian Greens say.

State and Federal South Australian Greens are calling on the community to stand together with traditional owners who are fighting against having a nuclear waste dump on culturally significant land near the Flinders Ranges.

The Greens acknowledge that Australia must take responsibility for managing our own nuclear waste, however the Government has not made the case for dumping it in outback South Australia. The Greens have called for Lucas Heights waste to continue to be stored on site and for hospital waste to be properly audited and only moved if found to be unsafely stored.

Greens Senator for South Australia Robert Simms says Australian governments need to commit to using steel made in Australia for major infrastructure projects, to support the Australian steel industry and save workers' jobs.

It was reported today that structural steel made overseas has been used in the construction of South Australia's new Royal Adelaide Hospital.

The Australian Greens call on the Government to provide urgent mental health support to the Whyalla Community as part of any plan to assist in securing the future of the steel industry.

"My thoughts are with the 1100 steelworkers in Whyalla and 7000 across the country during this time of job insecurity. The Government needs to fight for this steelworks to continue operating to ensure Whyalla thrives into the future.

Greens Senator for South Australia Robert Simms is in Whyalla today attending a public hearing for the Senate Inquiry into the Future of Australia's Steel Industry.

"It is critical that steelworks like Arrium in Whyalla have the support they need to continue sustainable operations into the future. Arrium is a major employer in Whyalla and the loss of steelworks manufacturing here would be devastating for the community," Senator Simms said.