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.

The Australian Greens will push for a floor price on cigarettes amid tobacco industry threats to slash prices if the government’s legislation for plain packaging is introduced. The funds raised should go to cancer research, Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

“The tobacco industry is fighting for its life, but not the health of Australian, with plans to flood the market with cheap tobacco,” Senator Siewert said in Canberra.

The Australian Greens say a new report on Aboriginal health highlights the importance of increasing accessibility of primary health care services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“The AMA Indigenous Health Report Card 2010-11 shows the gap in life expectancy will not be closed until Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have better access to high quality primary health care,” Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues said today.

The Australian Greens says the government needs to get its message straight on child health checks, with families facing the prospect of losing over $700 a child from family tax benefit supplements unless their children attend so-called 'voluntary' health checks.

"Part of the new mental health budget measures includes funding for 3 year old child health checks which the Minister for Mental Health last night claimed were not compulsory," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens health spokesperson said today.

Senator SIEWERT (Western Australia—Australian Greens Whip) (11:57):  I move:
That the Senate—
 (a) notes with concern decisions by major retailers to heavily discount alcohol as a 'loss leader' to increase market share, with beer and wine being sold below the wholesale price so that it is now often cheaper than bottled water;
 (b) draws attention to research that demonstrates that young people, disadvantaged groups and risky drinkers are highly sensitive to the price of alcohol;