Greens offer unwavering support for mental health services
The Greens have today reaffirmed their commitment to developing effective, long term mental health strategies while responding to a GetUp campaign calling for The Greens to support a Coalition motion on mental health.
“Anyone who has read the Green's policy on mental health would know how committed we are to this issue,” Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“Last week, we were unable to support a Coalition motion on mental health which simply restated their election policy and focused on one part of our systemic mental health problems.
“We opposed the motion because while it did cover some important issues, other critical issues were overlooked.
“We know that the key to effective mental health policy is making sure it is comprehensive enough to deliver the outcomes we need.
“I am sure that by taking a collaborative approach with the Coalition on this issue we can develop a much stronger position.
Better health for Australia
Everyone has the right to timely, high-quality healthcare. The Greens want to target our health dollars where they will do the greatest good to improve the health of all Australians.
Accessible Affordable Health Care
A wealthy nation like Australia should have a strong and sustainable public health system. The Greens want to target our health dollars to the areas where they will do the greatest good to protect and improve the health of all Australians.
We can greatly reduce health care costs by placing greater emphasis on keeping people well. A smart country like Australia should be training more health professionals - we should be exporting our expertise, not importing doctors from developing countries.
Protecting Our Coasts
Recent oil spills have shown us the serious risks involved in offshore drilling and the frightening consequences if something goes wrong. The Montara oil spill off the WA coast in 2009 and the ongoing Deepwater Horizon spill in the US have underlined the importance of strong regulation and compliance in preventing disasters and how little we can do to limit environmental and economic damage once they occur.
Australian Greens call for action to match words on National Sorry Day
The Australian Greens today join with fellow Australians to recognise National Sorry Day, acknowledging the past hurt caused to Aboriginal people and renewing calls for their Stolen Generations Repatriation Bill to receive multilateral support in the Senate.
“Today we recognise and remember a tragic part of Australia’s history and hope future Australian Governments will continue to move away from past mistakes,” Australian Greens Indigenous Affairs Spokesperson Rachel Siewert said today.
“The Bringing them home report reminds us of the strength of many thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people affected by forcible removal and today we remember and lament all the children who will never come home,” Senator Siewert said.
"The Greens' Bill to deliver reparations to the Stolen Generations remains available to be acted upon by any Government with the political will to right the wrongs of the past and move forward.
Australian Greens Call on Government to Abandon Income Management.
The Australian Greens have called on the Federal Government to abandon its plans to extend income management, saying the approach is flawed.
"The latest research by the Menzies School of Health Research showing that income management hasn't modified purchasing behaviour should be well and truly ringing the Government's alarm bells" said Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on community services.
"Not only is there no hard evidence that income quarantining is working, but there is now compelling evidence that income quarantining has a negative effect on people."
A new approach for mental health - Greens
The Greens today announced a comprehensive mental health plan for Australia and are calling on the Commonwealth to embrace it as a fundamental part of the Prime Minister's proposed health reform program.
"The Greens have a fully developed, integrated plan for mental health which I urge Mr Rudd to consider if he is serious about building a reformed and effective health system", said Greens health spokesperson, Senator Rachel Siewert.
"It is clear the current model of mental health care isn't working. A range of different approaches are needed to keep people well and out of hospital longer by successfully managing their illness at home," Senator Siewert said.
"Mental health is a glaring omission from the PM's health package and this is his chance to get it right by including our sensible, considered plan.
Senate supports Greens call for new OHS laws to set high standards
The Senate has backed an Australian Greens motion calling on the Government to ensure there is no reduction in occupational health and safety standards anywhere in the nation in implementing their new laws.
"Workers, unions and the community are concerned that the Government's OHS harmonisation agenda will mean lower safety standards rather than the highest possible we should be pursuing", said Senator Siewert.
"The Government must guarantee no reduction in standards in any workplace. With over 150 work-related fatalities last year, an increase of around 14%, this is no time to lower the bar."
Government's knuckles rapped over NT intervention by UN rapporteur
The Australian Greens today welcomed the release of observations by the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples on the Northern Territory emergency response (NTER), noting that the Rudd Government is failing to comply with its calls to fully and unconditionally reinstate the Racial Discrimination Act (RDA).
"Professor Anaya's analysis of the way in which the NT intervention tramples the rights of Indigenous Australians, discriminates unfairly against them and fails to comply with Australia's international human rights commitments is both compelling and comprehensive," said Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal issues Senator Rachel Siewert today.
"The Special Rapporteur's report also clearly sets out what the Minister needs to do to properly reform the intervention so that it protects human rights and engages Aboriginal communities in developing effective community-based solutions."
Confirmed: Indonesian fish stocks contaminated by Montara oil
Concerns repeatedly raised by the Australian Greens that Indonesian fishing grounds were contaminated by oil from last year’s Montara oil spill have been confirmed, following testing of an oil sample submitted to the Montara oil spill inquiry by Australian Greens Senator for WA Rachel Siewert.
“We first raised concerns in October that communities in Indonesia who rely on fish for food were being affected by this oil spill,” Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“The response by the Rudd Government at the time was to play the reports down.
Greens private health insurance proposal to break deadlock, deliver $145m for mental health
The Greens will propose a compromise on private health insurance today that offers a way to break the senate deadlock and deliver over a billion dollars to public hospitals and $145 million for specific mental health funding.
The compromise proposal would:
- Support the passage of the bill which means-tests private health insurance rebate to deliver an estimated $1.8 billion to public hospitals over four years
- Support the passage of the Medicare Levy Surcharge with an amendment to direct all revenue raised through the increased surcharge (approximately $145 million over four years) into early intervention mental health services.