Greens leader reveals plan to engage marginalised youth

The Greens plan to launch a program aimed at marginalised or angry youths affected by federal government policies.

Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne has announced plans for a Centre for Social Cohesion, which she said would be independent of government, but would include government and non-government agencies, as well as academics.

"It's been appalling to watch the Abbott Government drive the kind of division in Australia that we hoped we'd never see," Senator Milne told reporters today.

"The 'Ban the Burqa' campaign, which was run by some people in the federal Liberal Party, has led to awful attacks on Muslim women in particular and what we need to be doing is building a sense of community, making people feel like they're part of this country and contributing to this country, the same as everyone else," she said.

"That's why we need a Centre for Social Cohesion to say to anyone in the community, particularly young people who might be feeling marginalised or angry, that there are ways of engaging, that there are programs to get involved in."