Australian Greens health spokesperson and former GP, Dr Richard Di Natale, today welcomed the government’s announced reviews of the Medicare Benefits Schedule and primary health care.

“The Greens have been calling for a review of the Medicare Benefits Schedule and an exploration of alternative models in primary care for some time, so we welcome the government’s announcement today.

Australian Greens health spokesperson and public health specialist, Dr Richard Di Natale, said today that while the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has stabilised, Australia should not be reducing our contribution to the area.

“Every cent recouped from Australia’s contribution to the Aspen Medical treatment centre in Sierra Leone should be reinvested in the region,” said Senator Di Natale.

Australian Greens health spokesperson and former GP, Dr Richard Di Natale, today responded to the Australian Medical Association’s damning public hospital report card.

“The Abbott government is holding the country’s health to ransom in a transparent effort to force the states into begging for the GST to rise,” said Senator Di Natale.

“When governments play politics with health funding it’s the Australian public that pay the price. And today’s report card from the AMA shows the real world consequences of treating health care as a bargaining chip.

Australian Greens health spokesperson and former drug and alcohol clinician, Dr Richard Di Natale, today called for the new taskforce on ice to focus its attention on prevention, harm reduction and treatment rather than tougher law enforcement.

“The Greens welcome the establishment of a taskforce to deal with crystal methamphetamine but history tells us that we can’t enforce our way out of the illicit drug problem,” said Senator Di Natale.

Australian Greens health spokesperson, Dr Richard Di Natale has applauded environment groups across Australia on their continued campaign for an independent regulator to enforce national air pollution standards.

"Protecting the health of Australians should be of paramount importance to the parliament which is why the Greens are calling for a Clean Air Act to cut toxic pollution and help keep our most precious resource clean and healthy," said Senator Di Natale.

Australian Greens spokesperson on health, Dr Richard Di Natale, and Greens spokesperson on agriculture, Senator Rachel Siewert, today responded to a finding from the World Health Organisation that glyphosate, the principle compound in Roundup ‘probably’ causes cancer.

“This report from the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer is extremely concerning,” said Senator Di Natale, a former GP and public health specialist.

Australian Greens health spokesperson, Dr Richard Di Natale, said today that the damning audit report into the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement demonstrates the need for a new process of negotiation.

“The audit report reveals a devastatingly flawed agreement that fails by any standard of good governance,” said Senator Di Natale.

Australian Greens health spokesperson and former GP, Dr Richard Di Natale, today proposed a new way forward in health reform that doesn’t target patients.

“The Greens will stand firmly against any health reforms that reduce access or fairness, but there is another way forward,” said Senator Di Natale.

“We have an excellent health system in Australia and while there is no evidence that spending is spiralling out of control, the Greens always believe in preparing for long term challenges and following evidence-based policy.

Australian Greens health spokesperson and former GP, Dr Richard Di Natale, said that the government’s objective is still to make patients pay more to see a doctor.

Australian Greens health spokesperson and former GP, Dr Richard Di Natale, welcomed reports that the government is planning to scrap its planned $5 Medicare rebate cut but said the fight to protect Medicare isn’t over.

“We will all celebrate if the $5 cut to Medicare rebates is finally sent to the graveyard of dumb policy ideas but nobody should forget that the worst aspect of the government’s Medicare changes remains in place,” said Senator Di Natale.