Tony Windsor (New England, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, I think it is highly out of order, Mr Deputy Speaker, that someone should suggest that people would bite each other in this place! Obviously in regional areas there is a double issue in that a lot of the people who are trained may not go back into country areas to practise, even though a lot of the need is there.

The government has initiated a new dental school at Charles Sturt University, and I congratulate the government for that. That is exactly what is needed, but it is not enough and it reflects the recognition of neglect over the last decade, at least. There is a need for more dental schools. I know that the University of New England—and this is not an ad for their cause, even though I am a great supporter of the initiative—is negotiating with the University of Sydney and others for the extension of that sort of program. We must start training more people, because it is quite obvious that if 650,000 people were suddenly allowed into the dental chair there would not be enough dentists to deal with the problem. That is a problem that has been aided and abetted—partly because of the costs of the degree and other factors as well—at the Commonwealth level.

The message I would send is that, while this is an issue, there is a solution. We have to stop blaming each other for this issue—the states blaming the Commonwealth. It should be addressed. It is a basic issue of the provision of services to people within all our communities. If this election goes past and the issue is ignored or tinkered with with a mere $200 million, $300 million or $400 million over a period of years, it will be an offence to all Australians, particularly our elderly Australians, and a recognition that we are prepared to neglect those who have devoted years of work to the development of this nation. I think it is an issue that we should take on board and address immediately. (Time expired)

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