Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

The fact is that the shadow Treasurer, in his usual sloppy way, is in fact making it up himself. So let's just go very clearly through this. The health minister has developed an excellent scheme to improve dental services in Australia. Everyone on this side of the House is absolutely proud of what we have done in this area. Of course, what we have done at the same time is to remove and close down a scheme put in place by the current Leader of the Opposition which was blowing out in terms of its cost. It was blowing out and a very, very big drain on the budget over a long period of time. It is one of the great atrocities that has been committed on the budget by this current Leader of the Opposition. And because it was not delivering value for money we said that we would abolish it, and he has been holding up its abolition in this House for years and years and years.

But yes, it is already counted in our forward estimates because we have announced our intention to abolish it, and that is factored into our budget. So yes, we do have to find additional savings to fund the scheme. So both are correct. The only misrepresentation here is from the shadow Treasurer over there, who is seeking in his usual way to twist the facts.

This is the reason, of course, that he will not take that walk around to the Parliamentary Budget Office, which is not as far as Aussie's. He spends plenty of time around there. He could take a walk around to the Parliamentary Budget Office and submit his costings, which he has told all Australians are now complete. If they are complete, why don't you show them to the Australian people? We can see the secret hidden agenda that you have to slash health and education, because that is the only way you are going to make up the room for your hidden agenda and your policies into the future. So let's see someone be fair dinkum over there and take their policies around to the budget office. Let's see whether you are fair dinkum or not.

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