2016-06-22
In Cairns today, the Greens committed to using their numbers in the Parliament to stand up for health, education and Indigenous ranger funding for North Queensland.
Greens Senator for Queensland, Larissa Waters said,
“We Greens will use our numbers in the Parliament to stand up for funding for North Queensland hospitals, schools, universities and Indigenous ranger programs, which all generate local jobs.
“We’re committed to doubling funding for Indigenous rangers, which would support programs around the country, including the 29 groups already established in North Queensland, many of which are on the Cape.
“We’re calling on the State and federal governments to progress a World Heritage listing for Cape York which would go hand-in-hand with our pledge to double funding for Indigenous ranger jobs, as well as other land management and tourism jobs,” Senator Waters said.
The Greens Second Senate Candidate, Andrew Bartlett, who if elected would be based in North Queensland, said the Greens’ plan for hospital funding would mean $752 million in funding would flow to Queensland over 4 years.
“GetUp! has estimated that hospitals in and around Cairns like Cairns Hospital, Mareeba, Gordonvale, Babinda, Herberton and Mossman will lose $605 million over 10 years, due to the Coalition Government’s harsh funding cuts.
“That’s equivalent to not funding 329 doctors, or 632 nurses, or 364 hospital beds. The Greens are committed to fully funding those hospitals by locking in hospital funding with legislation to put it beyond the reach of the next Tony Abbott.
“We can properly in invest in North Queensland’s health and education services by making sure the big end of town pays their fair share of tax.
“By cracking down on corporate tax avoidance, reforming negative gearing and superannuation taxation and ending taxpayer subsidies to fossil fuel companies, we can raise tens of billions in revenue to invest in job-creating programs.
The Greens Candidate for Leichhardt, Kurt Pudniks, said the Greens education plans would benefit local schools and universities providing more jobs in education, IT, administration and research.
“We Greens support the Gonski need-based funding for our schools and will push for extra funding for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to equip kids with the skills they need for 21st century jobs, including in clean energy.
“Nationally we’d invest $7 billion in our universities over four years to reverse the Coalition’s harsh cuts and fund a 10% increase in base funding per student at public universities.
The Greens Candidate for Kennedy, Valerie Weier, said:
“Your bank balance should not determine the level of health care or the education you receive. We Greens see funding our health and education services as investment, rather than a cost.
“We have the courage and vision to properly fund the services North Queenslanders deserve by raising revenue from the big end of town, which is not currently paying its fair share,” Ms Weier said.