Australian Greens spokesperson for sport and health today announced a new Greens initiative to boost access to community sport and combat childhood obesity.

“Rather than just pumping more money into elite sport the Greens want to make it easier for all kids to participate in sport,” said Senator Di Natale.

Greens’ spokesperson for sport and health, Senator Richard Di Natale, welcomes the push from Australian leading sports codes to remove cannabis from the international list of performance-enhancing drugs.

“Cannabis could not possibly be considered a performance-enhancing drug and therefore it has no place on the match-day banned list,” said Dr Di Natale.

“It is really positive to see the AFL and other leading Australian sports codes taking such a sensible approach to doping.

Greens’ spokesperson for sport and former VFA footballer, Senator Richard Di Natale, said today that Australia has not only lost a great footballer with the passing of Jim Stynes, but we have also lost a great Australian.

“We lost more than a footballer today, we lost a great Australian and he will be sadly missed.

Greens Senator for NSW Lee Rhiannon has congratulated Tamil youth activists for their action "Whose side are you on?" at the One Day International match between Sri Lanka and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

This action by more than 130 Tamil youth is an important part of the growing global campaign for an independent investigation into alleged war crimes committed in Sri Lanka during the civil war.

Greens Senator for NSW Lee Rhiannon paid tribute in parliament to the extraordinary life of Rugby League legend Artie Beetson AO, from his time as a skinny 16 year old called ‘Bones’ to Eastern Suburbs captain, the first Indigenous player to captain Australia in any sport and generous mentor for the Indigenous community.

Adjournment speech, Tuesday 7 February 2012

Greens’ spokesperson for health and former VFA footballer, Senator Richard Di Natale, said that outgoing Hawthorn President Jeff Kennett’s criticism of the AFL’s illicit drugs policy is dangerous and that as Chairman of Beyond Blue he should know better.

“Jeff Kennett’s criticism of the AFL’s illicit drugs policy comes from a desire to help but his comments were dangerous,” said Senator Di Natale.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown, speaking to reporters in Hobart, congratulates the Gold Coast on winning the bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

On the day of a significant international conference exploring issues of human rights and accountability in Sri Lanka, Greens Senator for NSW Lee Rhiannon says the selection committee deciding on the host for the 2018 Commonwealth Games should think carefully about choosing Sri Lanka’s Hambantota, which is competing against the Gold Coast.