Richard Di Natale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Di Natale
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Di Natale in 2019
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| Leader of the Australian Greens | |
| In office 6 May 2015 – 3 February 2020 |
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| Deputy | Scott Ludlam Larissa Waters Adam Bandt |
| Preceded by | Christine Milne |
| Succeeded by | Adam Bandt |
| Senator for Victoria | |
| In office 1 July 2011 – 26 August 2020 |
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| Succeeded by | Lidia Thorpe |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Luigi Di Natale
6 June 1970 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Greens |
| Spouse |
Lucy Quarterman
(m. 2007) |
| Residences | Otway Ranges, Victoria, Australia |
| Education | Parade College |
| Alma mater | Monash University La Trobe University |
| Profession | Politician, public health physician |
| Website | richard-di-natale.greensmps.org.au |
Richard Luigi Di Natale was a well-known Australian politician. He was born on 6 June 1970. He served as a senator for the state of Victoria. From 2015 to 2020, he was the leader of the Australian Greens political party.
Di Natale was first elected to the Senate in the 2010 federal election. Before becoming a politician, he worked as a doctor. He became the Greens' federal leader in May 2015. This happened after the previous leader, Christine Milne, stepped down. He led the Greens during the federal elections in 2016 and 2019.
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Richard Di Natale's Early Life and Education
Richard Di Natale was born in Melbourne, Australia. His parents were immigrants from Italy. His mother came from Apulia, and his father was from Sicily.
He went to Parade College and finished school in 1987. After that, he studied at Monash University. He earned a degree in medicine in 1993. Later, he continued his studies at La Trobe University. There, he gained degrees in public health and health science.
Before he joined parliament, Di Natale worked as a general practitioner, which is a family doctor. He also specialized in public health, focusing on community health.
Richard Di Natale's Political Journey
Richard Di Natale started his political journey with the Greens party in 2004. He ran as a candidate for the Senate.
Early Political Attempts
In 2004, Di Natale also ran to become the Lord Mayor of Melbourne. He came in second place in that election.
He also tried to win a seat in the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 2002 and 2006. He came very close to winning in the Melbourne area.
Becoming a Senator
In April 2007, Di Natale spoke about how climate change can affect people's health. Later that year, he shared his worries about terror laws.
He was chosen as the main Senate candidate for Victoria for the 2010 federal election. The Greens leader at the time, Senator Bob Brown, thought Di Natale was a strong candidate.
Di Natale won a Senate seat for Victoria in the 2010 election. His term as a senator began on 1 July 2011. Once he became a senator, Di Natale became the Greens' spokesperson for health. He also covered topics like sport and multiculturalism.
Leading the Greens Party
On 6 May 2015, Richard Di Natale was chosen as the leader of the Greens party. This happened after Christine Milne resigned. He was the only person nominated for the role.
The Greens had mixed results in the 2016 federal election. They aimed to win more seats in the House of Representatives. However, they did not gain any new seats, even with more votes. The party also lost one senator. Di Natale believed their election plan was successful. He felt voters now saw the Greens as a major political party.
Key Achievements in Parliament
When the Greens held the balance of power in the Senate, Di Natale helped achieve important things.
He helped secure nearly $5 billion for dentistry funded by Medicare. This was a step towards the Greens' plan for "Denticare." This policy aimed to make dental care available to everyone through Medicare.
Di Natale also campaigned against the Future Fund investing in tobacco companies. His campaign was successful. In 2012, the Fund sold all its tobacco investments, which were worth about $250 million.
He also worked on improving human rights in West Papua. He pushed for people to get important medicines quickly and affordably. He supported public health policies based on science, like those for wind farms and vaccinations.
Di Natale was the Chair of a Senate committee looking into budget cuts in 2014. He was also the Deputy Chair of a Senate committee on health. He helped lead groups in parliament focused on drug policy, West Papua, and medicine.
Resignation from Politics
On 3 February 2020, Di Natale announced he was stepping down as leader of the Greens. He also said he would resign from the Senate. He explained that he wanted to spend more time with his family.
Adam Bandt was chosen to replace Di Natale as the Greens' leader. Lidia Thorpe was selected by Greens members to fill Di Natale's Senate seat. Richard Di Natale officially resigned from the Senate on 26 August 2020.
Richard Di Natale's Personal Life
Richard Di Natale lives with his wife and two sons. They live on a small farm in the Otway Ranges in Victoria.
His sister, Deborah, is married to Greg Barber, who was a former Victorian Greens leader. Deborah was also a local councilor for the City of Yarra for a few years.
When he was growing up in Melbourne, Di Natale played Australian rules football. He played for the Coburg and Oakleigh Football Clubs. He is also a long-time fan of the Richmond Tigers football team.
