About one third of Australia’s population lives in rural and regional areas and their health needs are often unique and directly related to the remoteness of their communities.

As long as we continue attempting to meet the needs in the bush with a system designed for the cities, we will fail.

The Greens are the only party to consistently oppose the freeze on indexation on Medicare Benefits (MBS) payments.

We would unfreeze indexation from 1 January 2017, investing revenue of $2.4 billion back into Medicare and protect rural health.

We are committed to working towards universal access to dental care and would invest $280 million for rural mental health and a further $140 million to secure short term residential care to provide appropriate services for patients being treated for mental illness in regional Australia.

The Greens see affordable, universal health care as an investment not a cost.

Patients in the bush need access to health professionals that can meet their needs and the security to know their geography won't determine their health outcomes.

Valerie Weier

Malanda 

Greens candidate for Kennedy

Kennedy magician losing touch.

Just when voters are asking what Bob Katter has delivered as the Member for Kennedy over the last 23 years, he resorts to the classic magician’s tactic of diverting attention away from his failures.

The furore over the “shooter” ad, is reaping Bob a double dividend - It’s drawn attention to one of his hobby horses while questions about his lacklustre performance as our representative are conveniently avoided.

The arrival of expensive glossy rave-sheets in our letter boxes heralding doom and gloom, making extravagant claims about his role in rescuing the live cattle export trade, and, claiming some “credit” for reinstating Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister are part of Bob’s strategy to create the illusion that words are a substitute for action.

The tactic of spouting endless “facts and figures” is another favourite tactic. 

Bob is good at telling people what they want to hear about what’s wrong with our country while knowing he will never have to face the challenge of fixing the problems. 

The people of Kennedy have been shortchanged by this political illusionist for a long time.

W cannot afford another three years of inertia from the current member, so let’s go for change on July 2.

Ray Byrnes

Yungaburra,

I’ve known Bob Katter for 23 years. He’s held the seat for 23 years and his father held the seat previous to that.

Apart from a three year period the seat has been held by the Katter family for 50 years.

I am unapologetic in my support of Bob Katter for one reason above all others.

He is almost a lone voice in the fight against outright foreign ownership of some of the most productive assets in this country.

He has argued relentlessly that the major parties wanted to sell off the country.

He’s fought in the parliament and outside it for Australian ownership and Australian jobs. He and I have been involved in endless discussions about the banks and rural debt, about banks foreclosing on innocent farmers putting their lives, livelihoods and the economic well-being of the country at risk.

We cannot afford, at this critical point in our history, to lose this voice.

Alan Jones