Labor risks cutting itself out of negotiations by seeking to gain political advantage by opposing government policies, the Greens leader, Richard Di Natale has warned.
At his first address to the National Press Club Di Natale said the Greens supported a wholesale review of the Medicare benefits scheme.
He said he was “shocked” when Labor did not “fully support” the review.
“This is everything that’s wrong with politics. Here we have got an opportunity to improve the health system. The evidence is very clear about where we need to make changes, and I think they saw a political advantage rather than putting policy first.”
The Greens leader, who took the reins in May after the resignation of Christine Milne, said there was a “gradual ideological convergence between the two major parties over many issues”.
“People are coming to us all the time and saying, ‘Thank goodness the Greens are there – you have become the real opposition to this Coalition government,’ ” he said.
The Medicare review was not the first government measure the Greens had backed, and Di Natale said the party would continue to negotiate with both major parties on further policy initiatives.
Di Natale has written to the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, outlining the Greens’ priorities.
He has asked Turnbull to work with the party to remove asylum seeker children from detention centres, and allow Coalition MPs a conscience vote on marriage equality.
Di Natale has called on the government to consider reforming the superannuation system so it is no longer a “tax haven for the wealthy”, and to abolish negative gearing and the fuel tax credit.
The call comes ahead of Thursday’s economic forum, which will involve the government’s economic team and representatives from unions, business and community groups.
The treasurer, Scott Morrison, has indicated that the government has softened in its opposition to superannuation reform.
“I think there has been I think an opening up of what is being prepared to be considered, but not an opening up for an ideological purpose or anything like that,” Morrison told Sky News on Tuesday. “I think there is a very fresh breeze of pragmatism about some of these issues.”
Di Natale is urging Turnbull to take a more pragmatic approach to climate change, by making a commitment to keep the Australian renewable energy agency (Arena) and Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
“If your politics demands it, just ignore the fact that they are Green initiatives,” he said. “Just ignore it, stand up to some of those dinosaurs in your party and walk away from your plans to abolish Arena and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.”
Over all, Di Natale said he was reserving judgment on Turnbull.
“If the prime minister is genuinely interested in ditching the mind-numbing three-word Coalition slogans, in having a mature debate about the direction of this country, I welcome that,” he said.
“Eventually, though, he’ll need to put some meat on those bones. It’s one thing to talk a good game on climate change, on marriage equality. It’s another thing altogether to deliver on those things.”
- This article was amended on 1 October 2015 to make it clear that Labor has not stated outright opposition to the Medicare review, but has been critical of it.
