Second Reading

Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia) (1.19 pm)—The Greens support the need to ensure the integ-rity of the public revenue expended on Medicare ser-vices. Expenditure on the Medicare scheme was over $14 billion in 2008-09 and it has grown by more than a billion dollars per annum over the last two years. We believe that compliance audits are necessary checks to confirm that a medical practitioner was eligible to pro-vide a Medicare service, that the service was actually provided and that it met the requirements of the Medi-care item paid in respect of the service.

Senator SIEWERT (2.32 pm)—My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Senator Arbib. I ask today about alcohol related harm and abuse in Alice Springs. Firstly, is it true that there has in fact been a decrease in the incidence of violent crime in Alice Springs since the introduction of alcohol supply reduction measures in 2006? Secondly, what changes have there been in alcohol related hospital admissions since the introduction of those initial alco-hol supply reduction measures?

Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia) (3.29 pm)—I move:

That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Develop-ment, Minister for Sport and Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness (Senator Arbib) to a question without notice asked by me today, relating to alcohol related issues in Alice Springs.

I note that Senator Arbib did not answer my question about the issue of a floor price or minimum price for alcohol in Alice Springs or in fact answer my questions about reducing access to takeaway alcohol.

The Australian Greens believe the Federal Government's Future Fund should be subject to revised investment criteria after it was revealed that the Fund holds over $100 million of shares in overseas tobacco companies.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens Health Spokesperson said today that the investments were ethically and financially flawed.

"We're trying to break the hold of tobacco on our society and yet for every packet of cigarettes sold, the Futures Fund is better off," Senator Siewert said today.

Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia) (5.23 pm)—In July 2010 the government lifted restrictions on the number of pathology collection centres a pathology provider could operate. Collection centres collect patient samples from pathology tests, the issue we are talking about.

The Australian Greens have successfully amended the National Health and Hospitals Network Bill 2010, significantly strengthening the legislation in a number of areas and improving the operation of the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens Health Spokesperson said today the amendments will ensure the involvement of consumers and carers in the development of a better health and hospital system.

“The ultimate result of this will be better health care and better health outcomes,” Senator Siewert said today.

Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia) (3.38 pm)—by leave—I move: That the Senate take note of the statement. I must admit I was disappointed to see the government’s response to the UN Universal Periodic Review where they did not respond in a comprehensive manner at the time of the review at the committee.

A lot of what was contained in that Universal Periodic Review report, 145 recommendations, was in fact hardly a surprise to the government that these recommendations were made.

Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia) (10.03 am)—One would wonder why advertisers bother spending millions of dollars on advertising. Given the two speeches I have just heard in this place, it is obvious that advertising has an impact; otherwise, advertisers would not be spending millions on it.

Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia) (6.01 pm)—The Australian Council of Safety and Quality in Health Care was first established as a non-statutory body in 2000 in response to a study by the then Commonwealth Department of Human Services.