Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Forde for her question. I think it is important that this parliament notes that at least 90 per cent of all dental services in this country take place in the private sector, and that has always been the case. The former Labor government provided no support whatsoever to 90 per cent of the dental services of this country but, thanks to the private health insurance rebate, the Howard government provides no less than $440 million a year to support dentistry in this country.

This government also supports dental services by massively increasing dental training places. There were just 221 dental training commencements in 1995; there were 312 in 2005; and, thanks to the policies of this government, there will be 560 dental training commencements in 2010. As well, this government provides for the first time some limited Medicare support for dentistry through the allied health professional initiative started in 2004. By contrast it is true that state-run public dental services are failing. Unfortunately, there are now some 650,000 people on state public dental waiting lists right around Australia. This is fairly and squarely the fault of the state Labor governments. I say to members opposite: why is it the Howard government’s fault when the state governments do not do their job properly? How can the Leader of the Opposition say he is ending the blame game when he blames every single problem in this country on the Howard government? Let us be clear about this: between 2000 and 2004, the most recent period for which the figures are available, state dental funding fell from $374 million to $327 million a year. That is according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

See this speech in context