[Greens-Media] Hospitals should have enviro purchasing policy - Hartland

[Elizabeth.Ingham at parliament.vic.gov.au]

Greens MLC Colleen Hartland says the government should ask public 
hospitals to consider environmental performance, following last night's 
Auditor-General's report on health procurement practices.

"Victoria's public health services use the same amount of energy as more 
than 60,000 households.  They are responsible for half the State 
Government’s carbon emissions, half its energy use and half its water use. 
 On top of all that, 60% of their ecological and carbon footprint comes 
from consumables."

"The report examined Health Purchasing Victoria's 'best value' practice 
and made recommendations on probity and other functions, but it didn't 
examine whether environmental or sustainability measures were being 
considered.  And no wonder, since the law on this hasn't been updated 
since Health Purchasing Victoria was created a decade a go to make bulk 
purchases for public hospitals."

"It's time the Health Services Act was updated to include environmentally 
preferable purchasing where possible - for example, where a more 
sustainable option exists, and where it does not restrict capacity to 
deliver services."

"Considering the size of the purchasing impact, a small policy change 
could have a big environmental outcome," said Ms Hartland

For comment: Colleen Hartland - 9689 6373

****************

Liz Ingham
Office of Colleen Hartland MLC
Western Metropolitan Region

A: 75 Victoria Street, Seddon 3011
P: 9689 6373
M: 0409 333 595
F: 9689 6227
E: elizabeth.ingham at parliament.vic.gov.au
W: http://mps.vic.greens.org.au


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Parliament of Victoria                                                                                                                    . 
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