Annette Ellis (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Help for carers will also be a key plank in the inquiry into Australia’s future tax system and the welfare system. Another important action being taken by this government is the ‘Better care for our carers’ inquiry, which I would like to make mention of during this speech. It is being conducted by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth—a committee of which I am extremely proud to be the chair. The aim of the inquiry is to determine how better we can understand and meet the needs of carers who look after those with chronic illness, disability or frailty. I am very pleased that the committee, through the postbudget period, has received that reference.

I am extremely pleased that this budget also addressed an important issue which I believe was ignored by the previous government—that is, dental health care. The government will provide $290 million over three years to state and territory governments to help fund up to one million additional consultations and treatments for Australians needing dental treatments. A further $490.7 million will be provided over five years to help more than one million teenagers with dental health care. These are two very good initiatives that we welcome.

I do not have much time left, obviously, so I will be brief about two other important budget initiatives. One is that the baby bonus will be extended to adoptive families with children aged between two and 16 years from 1 January 2009. I have always had a heavy concern about the fact that, prior to this budget, people who adopted children over the age of two years were not eligible for the baby bonus. We have had debates on this matter in which I have participated in the House in the past. I am particularly pleased that this government has been able to introduce this policy, particularly where it is going to impact on the majority of overseas adoptions. The time lag impacting upon the age of the child has sometimes got nothing to do with anything other than the process that they are going through. It is a very welcome initiative.

Another great initiative is annual funding of $300,000 to Special Olympics Australia, which will give more young people with an intellectual disability the chance to participate in sports. As patron of Special Olympics ACT and having recently seen the Special Olympics national games, held in Canberra just recently, I know that they welcome that payment. It is a very good initiative, particularly for the intellectually disabled community.

Having highlighted some of the many great initiatives in this budget, I have to say—and I am willing to say—that there are sometimes concerns. Budgets do not always give everything to everybody as they would wish. Obviously, as the member for Canberra, I note that many people in my electorate had some concerns prior to the budget coming down as to what may happen in relation to public sector jobs. While I do not want to see anybody lose a job, we have been very up-front and honest with our local community—since last year, in fact, before the election—about what we predicted would happen should we gain government. One of those things was that there would be a change in some areas of the public sector—that there would be government programs of the previous government we would close down.

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