EXCLUSIVE
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A Greens senator who was denied federal government assistance to visit Ebola-devastated regions says he will go to West Africa regardless.
Accusing Foreign Minister Julie Bishop of "hollow words" over Ebola at the United Nations, Senator Richard Di Natale told Fairfax Media he would undertake his proposed fact-finding mission with the assistance of the World Health Organisation.
"My aim is to get in there, speak to the people co-ordinating the response, find out what they need and come back and start advocating for it," he said.
"I'm not particularly concerned about my own health because I'm unlikely to come into contact with anyone who is being treated for Ebola. I'm more concerned about the 35-hour flight."
Senator Di Natale, who worked as a GP and public health specialist before entering Parliament, leaves on Saturday for Sierra Leone and Liberia, the two worst-affected countries.
Earlier this month, Ms Bishop turned down his request for consular assistance in Africa. Australia has no embassy in Liberia or Sierra Leone and she said she would not "divert scarce resources from the High Commission in Ghana … on the frontline of Australia's Ebola response".
But the government's response, which centres on funding a $20-million privately-run hospital staffed with mainly foreign doctors, was savaged by the Opposition and Greens on Saturday in response to Ms Bishop's final session chairing the UN Security Council.
The Council issued a statement saying Ebola posed "a threat to international peace and security" but also warned against "acts of discrimination against the nationals of Guinea, Liberia, Mali and Sierra Leone" and urged airlines and shipping operators to maintain trade and transport links with those countries.
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison closed Australia's border to people from Ebola-affected countries, including refugees, in October. But Ms Bishop told News Ltd on Friday that the government was screening but "continued to provide visas".
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek said it was an "extraordinary scenario" to see Australia lecturing other countries on the Ebola response.
"Isn't it extraordinary to see our Foreign Minister at the Security Council lecturing the world about Ebola when Australia has been so slow to act, dragged kicking and screaming to do anything?"
Senator Di Natale said Ms Bishop's words "ring hollow" and called the $20 million spent on funding Canberra-based Aspen Medical to run a British field hospital in Sierra Leone "loose change".
He has contacted Aspen Medical managing director Glenn Keys but will this week officially request assistance in visiting the site of Australia's response.
Senator Di Natale, who is waiting on visas for Liberia and Sierra Leone, will meet WHO officials and non-government organisations fighting the disease's spread.
He has paid his own airfare and is co-ordinating his own transport, accommodation and logistics in Africa.
