Australia is a low-taxing country with scope to increase taxation revenues to ensure our future prosperity, Australian Greens leader Senator Bob Brown said today

"The government has imposed a target on itself of keeping the ratio of tax to GDP below the 2007-08 ratio of 23.7 per cent but in the coming year the ratio is predicted to be only 22.3 per cent," Senator Brown said.

 "If the government kept to its target we would have an extra $22 billion to deal with the challenges facing us.

Greens’ spokesperson for health, Senator Richard Di Natale, said today that the $165 million secured yesterday by the Greens was a great first step but that he will be looking for a much more significant total investment in dental health in the May budget.

Richard was interviewed on ABC News Breakfast about the Greens backing means testing of the private health insurance rebate and securing the Government's commitment to $165m for dental health.

Millions of Australians can't afford to see a dentist. More than 60,000 avoidable hospital visits are caused by untreated dental problems every year - along with thousands more visits to the GP. We know why: one in three people say they can't afford to go to the dentist, or delay going to the dentist because of the cost. Low income earners, Indigenous people and those who live outside major cities are by far the hardest hit.

Greens' spokesperson for health, Senator Richard Di Natale, and Greens MP, Adam Bandt, said today that the Greens had secured $165 million in funding for dental health. The commitment to allocate the money raised by the Medicare Levy Surcharge towards dental care comes in response to the Greens support for passage of the Government's private health insurance package.

"Access to dental care is one of the biggest areas of inequality in Australia," said Senator Di Natale.

Dear friend,

I didn't think I'd be writing to you again so soon – but we've just had a breakthrough here.

Adam Bandt and I just finished negotiations with the Government, where we secured an additional $165 million investment in dental health.

This is a big win and the first step to making dental care part of Medicare.

Greens’ spokesperson for health, Senator Richard Di Natale, and Greens MP, Adam Bandt, said today that the Greens had secured $165 million in funding for dental health. The commitment to allocate the money raised by the Medicare Levy Surcharge towards dental care comes in response to the Greens support for passage of the Government’s private health insurance package.