Party leader Richard Di Natale was there to announce the party would restore an extra $1.1 billion in health funding to the states over the next four years.

Nearby, Goulburn and District Union members held placards in support of Medicare and Gonski education funding and protesting cuts to penalty rates.

One of their number, Health Services Union organiser Josh Howarth, secured a written pledge from The Greens that they would not privatise hospitals if elected.

His lobbying came ahead of Goulburn Base’s redevelopment and amid speculation of private partnerships.

Police also attended but were not needed for the peaceful gathering.

Mr Di Natale made his health announcement ahead of Wednesday night’s ABC Regional Leaders’ Debate at Goulburn High School.

He was accompanied by Hume candidate Michaela Sherwood and NSW Greens MLC Jeremy Buckingham.

The party has pledged the extra money, taking total hospital funding over the four- year forward estimates to $4.4 billion.

“It is money taken out of the 2014 Abbott budget and we want to return that - to fund our hospitals properly so they can continue the essential work they need to do,” Mr Di Natale said.

Asked how it would be funded, he said the Greens’ “fully costed” policy platform involved ending negative gearing, reforming capital gains tax, cracking down on on tax avoidance and ending fossil fuel subsidies. 

“The diesel fuel rebate brings in close to $10bn over the forward estimates and we want to see it scrapped for the mining industry,” he said.

“We (also) believe too many people earning upwards of $300,000 aren’t paying tax and that’s why we’re introducing the Buffett rule - a minimum 35per cent tax for anyone on those income scales.”

The party would also unlock the freeze on Medicare rebates. But in a statement this week Hume MP Angus Taylor said Greens and Opposition claims that the freeze would lead to more bulk billing were a “scare campaign.”

In Hume, he said bulk billing stood at 87.5pc in 2014/15, up from 85.2pc in 2011/12 under Labor when rebates were also frozen.

But Mr Di Natale said the “problem (was) reaching tipping point.

“It is not viable for practices to continue with their current billing models,” he told the Post.

“Some practices may not be bulk billing all patients, just concessional patients and that is much more likely to be the case in rural areas. 

“We’ve had long discussions with representative  medical bodies who’ve made it very clear a number of their members are at breaking point and that the current situation is not sustainable. Remember, this freeze continues for several years.

“The government is saying to doctors, take a pay cut for the next few years and expecting this won’t flow on to patients. It simply doesn’t pass the commonsense test.”

The Greens also committed to a rural national health plan, which the leader said successive governments had lacked.

It is aimed at securing more health profesionals for rural areas, improved recruitment and training to keep them in the country and greater investment in mental health and suicide prevention.

On renewable energy in this region, Mr Di Natale rejected Mr Taylor’s claims that wind farms were not sustainable without large government subsidies.

“That’s nonsense,” he said.

“The Coalition ignores the large subsidies it pays to the fossil fuel industry and that’s in large part due to the donations they receive from (those) interests.

“Renewable  energy industry is more competitive than the fossil fuel industry. “We’re seeing the development of wind and solar farms producing more in the way of jobs and investment. Communities are being transformed because of the opportunities they offer.” 

As for Ms Sherwood’s chances in Hume, Mr Di Natale said it was always hard for the party to break through in the Lower House.

But he believed voters would have a choice of voting for a candidate who believed in renewable energy, greater investment in health and the party’s other policy platforms.

“Michaela’s campaign is important is because it gives us an opportunity to pick up a second Senator. A strong lower house vote means a strong senate,” he said.