The Australian Greens have welcomed the release of the Central Australia Renal Study, saying the report highlights the need for ongoing Federal Government leadership.

"This report was commissioned because of the growing need for dialysis in central Australia and the lack of adequate action from Governments at a State, Territory and Federal level," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Green spokesperson for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues said today.

Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia—Australian Greens Whip) (09:32):  It is with great pleasure that I stand here today to talk about this bill. The title of the dissenting report by Senator Xenophon and the Australian Greens into this bill—'Oils ain't oils'—says it all, and I must give Senator Xenophon credit for it. And it is true, because palm oil is not just a vegetable oil. If you read food packaging today you would believe it is just a vegetable oil. Well, we do not believe it is just a vegetable oil, nor do a large number of Australians.

Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia—Australian Greens Whip) (11:50):  The Greens have concerns with schedule 2 of this bill. This is the schedule that makes a payment for a child turning four contingent on that child having a health check, but the measure applies only to families where either parent has received income support for any part of that year. I have concerns about this part of the bill. 

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues says she is saddened by the fact it has taken the Government so long to acknowledge the failings of the Northern Territory Intervention.

“There are still massive problems in the Northern Territory,” Senator Siewert said today. “A number of key indicators point to the same thing – this discriminatory intervention is a failed approach and it should be thrown out.”

The Australian Greens said today the Government was putting the health of Australians at risk by deferring the addition of medicines to the PBS as a cost-cutting measure.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens health spokesperson said today that the Government was ignoring the advice of its clinical health economics experts.

“This is nothing but short term thinking from the Government,” said Senator Siewert.

“People who can not access the right medicines will end up costing the health system more as their health deteriorates.

Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia—Australian Greens Whip) (18:24):  The Midwife Professional Indemnity Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 has received a great deal of attention. Debating issues around better support for midwives has taken a great deal of the time of many senators.

The Australian Greens said today that if the Federal Government is serious about improving conditions in the Northern Territory it must tackle the supply of alcohol.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues said today that the time was right for the Government to implement harm-reduction strategies in the NT, including the introduction a price mechanism on alcohol.

“We need the Federal Government to bite the bullet when the NT Government has refused to do so,” Senator Siewert said today.

The Australian Greens welcomed the news today, World No Tobacco Day, that the Coalition will not oppose plain packaging legislation.

Australian Greens health spokesperson, Senator Rachel Siewert says the Coalition should now belatedly stop the practice of accepting political donations from Big Tobacco.

"The Coalition have finally seen the light on plain packaging, so now would be the perfect time for them to quit the habit of accepting donations from Big Tobacco.

Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert has called for more Coalition MPs to voice their support for plain cigarette packaging.

“A strong political and legislative stance is needed, and it is good that some members of the Coalition appear to be taking that approach, rather than following the non-committal path taken by Tony Abbott,” Senator Siewert said today.

Australian Greens health spokesperson, Senator Rachel Siewert speaks to ABC Canberra's Drive program about a floor price on tobacco and the industry's ongoing campaign against preventitive health measures.

Audio is Copyright of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.