New federal Greens leader, Senator Richard Di Natale, will visit the northern rivers next week as part of a national tour.
The senator will share his vision for Australia’s future at a function at the Bangalow A and I Hall next Thursday, October 1, from 6.30pm-9pm.
‘From Hobart to the Liverpool Plains, to Alice Springs and Adelaide, Richard is travelling around Australia to share his vision for a better Australia and to connect with the community,’ an event organiser told Echonetdaily.
Dawn Walker, the Greens candidate for Richmond, said Senator Di Natale will speak on Greens policies such as: ‘restoring trust and confidence in politics in this country; creating jobs and building a 21st century economy; real action to tackle global warming; and delivering the health and education services Australians deserve’.
Dr Di Natale was elected to the Senate in the 2010 election and in May this year, he was elected federal parliamentary leader of the Australian Greens following the resignation of Christine Milne.
Before entering parliament, he was a public health specialist, working in Aboriginal health in the Northern Territory, on HIV prevention in India and in the drug and alcohol sector.
According to Wikipedia, the senator’s achievements in parliament so far include securing almost $5 billion towards Medicare-funded dentistry which he described as ‘laying the foundations for Denticare’, the Greens policy of universally available medicare-funded dentistry.
Senator Di Natale campaigned against the Australian government Future Fund’s holdings in tobacco funds, a campaign that was ultimately successful with the Fund divesting the entirety of its tobacco holdings (approximately AUD $250 million) in 2012.
He has also secured and spearheaded Senate inquiries into many issues of public significance such as budget cuts, medicinal cannabis, the emergence of ‘superbugs’, hospital funding, air pollution, pharmaceutical transparency, sports science and gambling reform.
Senator Di Natale conducts ongoing campaigns for improved human rights in West Papua, timely access to cost-effective drugs through Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and science-based public health policies in areas such as wind farms and vaccination policy.
To register for the Bangalow event visit: www.nationaltour.org.au Refreshments and dinner will be available.
The event is from 6pm, not 6.30pm