Millions of Australians can't afford to see a dentist. More than 60,000 avoidable hospital visits are caused by untreated dental problems every year - along with thousands more visits to the GP. We know why: one in three people say they can't afford to go to the dentist, or delay going to the dentist because of the cost. Low income earners, Indigenous people and those who live outside major cities are by far the hardest hit.
The Greens have secured an additional $165 million investment in dental health. This is a big win and the first step to making dental care part of Medicare.
Our campaign for Denticare is gaining momentum. Already more than 5000 people have joined our call on the Treasurer to make dental care part of Medicare in this year's Budget. Let's keep the pressure on - if you haven't already - sign the petition here.
Today is the eve of Valentine's Day—a big day for love in the Australian parliament. We have here the first equal marriage bill ever to be introduced in this chamber. Last year, I successfully moved a motion calling on parliamentarians to consult their community about their views on marriage equality. We did that so that it could be understood in this place that outside views have moved on and that people in Australia want to see equality in our marriage laws. At the time I said: Love knows no boundaries. Love knows no limits. And love knows when it has found its partner. There have been many attempts through history to limit love. All have failed. As we move further into the 21st century, I am confident that attempts to limit love will fail again and that full marriage equality will become a reality. Today we are moving closer to that reality. This is an historic day for this parliament and the country. It is an important step forward for human rights. Today is a good day for those who believe in the power of love and the power of love to change things for the better. This bill will amend the Marriage Act to provide equality for same-sex couples. The bill would remove discrimination under the Marriage Act so that marriage, while still a union between two consenting adults, is not defined by gender.
Australia is moving to tackle climate change. Multi-party negotiations, begun by the Greens, delivered a carbon price on major polluters that will cut pollution and make clean energy cheaper. We’ve also secured over $10 billion in renewable energy investment, protection of biodiversity, a review of fossil fuel subsidies and much more.
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The first Greens’ bill to ever pass Parliament means that residents in the ACT and Northern Territory can no longer have their laws struck down at the stroke of a Minister’s pen.
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Marriage equality is closer than ever before. The Greens will have Equal Marriage Bills in both Houses of Parliament, ready and waiting for members of all parties to sign on to.
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The Parliamentary Budget Office will independently cost the ideas and election promises for political parties and Independent MPs. This Greens’ initiative will help to avoid accountability problems like the Coalition’s multi-billion dollar costings black hole debacle.
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Firefighters now have fairer access to compensation for work-related illnesses, after Adam Bandt’s bill passed Parliament.
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The Greens’ 2011 Budget proposal to change outdated rules on company cars successfully saved $900 million and ended a massive fossil fuel subsidy. As if this wasn’t reason enough to celebrate – the Greens also restored $100 million to the Budget to invest in large solar plant construction.
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High speed rail: Imagine travelling from Sydney to Melbourne in three hours…by train. High speed rail connections between the eastern capitals are a step closer to reality after a rigorous study, delivered following the Greens’ agreement with the Government, showed that it would be successful.
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An independent inquiry into the Australian media is currently underway, looking at how well the Australian public is served by current media, ways to support media diversity and strengthen codes of ethical practice. You can follow the inquiry’s progress on Twitter at @AusMediaInquiry.
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All asylum seekers will have their claims assessed in Australia after the High Court found offshore processing illegal.
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Ten is the number of Greens MPs in the Federal Parliament! Our new Senators elected last year took office on July 1, and already the team have been kicking goals on coal seam gas, mental health, corporate donations, gambling reform and more. You can see more of their work at greensmps.org.au.
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Denticare is now a priority for next year’s budget, after Senator Richard di Natale and the Health Minister announced the National Advisory Council on Dental Health. With 500,000 Australians on public waiting lists and millions unable to afford a visit to the dentist, it’s time to provide full dental coverage. For more info visit greensmps.org.au/denticare.
Australia is closer than ever to a clean energy future, with the bills to put a price on carbon and invest in clean, renewable energy being debated in the Senate. These bills, which wouldn't have happened without the Greens, are a vital first step to tackle the climate crisis and transform our economy.
These are the speeches made by the Australian Greens' MPs during the debate of this historic legislation.
The House of Representatives vote to support the Clean Energy Future bills negotiated by the Greens, the government and independent MPs is a vital step towards tackling the climate crisis and building a cleaner, healthier Australia.
The bills, negotiated through the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee as a result of the Greens' agreement to support the Gillard Government, will now move to the Senate where they will be debated and voted on in November before coming into effect on July 1 next year.
This is a historic day and we're looking forward to the legislation's passage through the Senate. The greening of Australia is well under way.
The Australian Greens, the Labor government and the Independent MPs today announced an historic agreement on a climate action package that will put a $23 per tonne price on carbon pollution, as was first proposed by the Greens, support householders and invest billions of dollars in clean, renewable energy.
This package, which the Greens have helped shape, is the first vital step towards tackling the climate crisis and building a cleaner, healthier, more secure Australia for all of us.
Major steps forward on emissions reduction targets, support for renewable energy, energy efficiency and landscape carbon, closing coal-fired power plants, limiting the use of international offsets and a floor price mean that pollution cuts that were pushed into the distant future under the government's original plans will now be pulled forward into the next few years.
While a climate action package designed by the Greens would have been more ambitious straight away, what we have achieved is a firm foundation for the future. Where the Rudd government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme acted as a ceiling on action, constraining our efforts for decades to come, this carbon price package acts as a platform on which stronger action can be built in the years ahead.
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