Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 575 standing in my name in the terms circulated in the chamber.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes the effort by the President of the United States of America (US), Barack Obama, and his administration to ensure all US citizens have access to affordable health care; and

(b)

commends this course as one Australia has long since undertaken with success and sends assurances to our trans-Pacific neighbours that since Australia adopted universal health care in 1984:

(i)

life expectancy for males has increased from 72.6 to 79.1 years and for females from 78.7 to 83.5 years,

(ii)

spending on health care has increased from 3.5 per cent of federal government outlays to 4.4 per cent in the 2008-09 financial year, and

(iii)

lives have been saved and suffering reduced in Australia.

Question agreed to.