Mandatory data retention legislation that costs over $300 million dollars to implement, and around 15 cents a day to circumvent, was due to come into effect today, but most Internet Service Providers have not received a response from the Attorney-General's Department about the plans they were required to submit, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Communications Spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said today.

Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said today that the Abbott Government should cease using Monday night's episode of Q&A to further his government's attack on the ABC and public broadcasting.

"The discussion about the editorial decisions made by the ABC is now being wound up to hysterical levels of stridency by the Abbott Government," Senator Ludlam said today.

"The ABC has apologised and will conduct a review. That is a proper process.

The Greens have today marked George Orwell's birthday, noting his seminal work, 1984, and its considerable value to policy makers within the Abbott government.

"When Mr Orwell penned 1984, he can scarcely have imagined that all these years later it would be such a foundational inspiration for government lawmaking on privacy, anonymity and free speech," Senator Scott Ludlam said today.

The Greens have welcomed the Senate's rejection of the Federal Government's SBS advertising bill, calling it the latest in a long line of assaults against Australia's public broadcasters.

The Greens, ALP and some crossbench MPs ensured the vote was rejected 31-28.

"Prime Minister Abbott promised no cuts to SBS or the ABC, but since coming to office they're done just that and tried to effectively blackmail SBS with the threat of increased advertising or harsher cuts," Senator Scott Ludlam, Australian Greens communications spokesperson said today.

Parliament has begun debating a controversial website blocking regime at the behest of foreign rights holders and lobbyists who have collectively donated millions of dollars to the Liberal and Labor parties.

"This is a lazy and dangerous piece of legislation, and it wouldn't be happening if the Opposition hadn't gone completely missing," Senator Scott Ludlam, Australian Greens communication spokesperson said today.

On the third anniversary of Mr Assange's entry into the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Senator Scott Ludlam joins with many millions of WikiLeaks supporters around the world to acknowledge the continuing value of the organisation, even as we condemn the hostility with which its staff and volunteers have been treated by Western governments including our own.

Three years ago today, Julian Assange entered the embassy seeking political asylum under the 1951 Refugee Convention.