A Senate inquiry in Hobart today has heard that a critical cancer treatment diagnostic machine is in mothballs despite high cancer rates in the state, Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

"After years of campaigning for a PET scanner for Tasmania we ended up with two based in Hobart, and now one is not being used," said Senator Milne.

"Cancer specialist Dr Rob Ware told the inquiry the decision to put a second machine in Hobart was a shocking waste and had deprived people of care.

Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Milne) and Senators Singh and Bushby: To move—That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) there are almost half a million Australians living with Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C, many undiagnosed,

(ii) the serious health risks associated with Hepatitis B and C, in particular the risk of developing serious liver disease, and

(iii) that 1 000 Australians die each year from advanced liver disease due to untreated Hepatitis B or C; and

The Australian Greens say the MH17 disaster is a horrific tragedy that will reverberate around the world.

"Our hearts go out to the families and friends of all those who have been killed, especially the 27 Australians reported to be on board," said Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne.

"Tragedies like these always touch many more people than we can ever know, but it is shocking news that up to 108 delegates to the 20th Annual AIDS Conference due to be held in Melbourne this weekend were on board the doomed flight.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne says the Coalition are being two-faced on GP co-payments in a political ploy designed to hide its agenda for harsh cuts to health.

"While out campaigning for votes in Griffith the Coalition was very quick to point the finger at the Commission of Audit and absolve itself of responsibility on Medicare co-payments," Senator Milne said.

"Prime Minister Tony Abbott won't be able to blame co-payments and health cuts on his Commission of Audit. It is his commission and he will be responsible.

To help all Australian children stay healthy, we must teach them how to grow, buy and cook good food. Nothing beats hands-on learning at school.

Pressure in our daily lives is seeing good life skills like knowing how to choose, prepare, cook and store nutritious food become less well-known.

We need to foster a culture of knowledge and pleasure in growing, choosing and cooking healthy food among our children.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne joined Greens health spokesperson Dr Richard Di Natale in Canberra today to launch the Greens' $9 billion national health package.

"In a caring society, every Australian should have the right to good quality healthcare," Senator Milne said.

"The Greens' national health policy is about making sure that your health doesn't depend on your bank balance or your postcode.

"The Greens stand up for what matters and that's why we've made investment in healthcare a priority for this election."

It's time we took the air we breathe more seriously. Industries continue to pump dangerous emissions into our atmosphere that have huge costs to human health - and Australia's air quality protections are lagging behind.

The Greens will deliver a Clean Air Act to cut toxic pollution and help keep our most precious resource clean and healthy.

The Gillard Government failed to answer questions from the Greens today on the impacts of coal dust on people's health in communities like the Hunter Valley.

"Coal dust has alarming impact on people's health and it's a disgrace that Minister Ludwig representing the Minister for Health had no brief on this issue." Senator Milne said today

Christine Milne speaks to Rural Press Club of Victoria about building the relationship between the Greens and regional Australia, about the government's food policy and about Country of Origin Labelling.