Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In Gilmore last week, the Minister for Health, the Hon. Sussan Ley, came to address a number of issues in our local community. The first task was to explain the new free dental benefits available to every child in Australia and the free services available to adult concession card holders. This represents a doubling of money allocated to state governments to help clear the backlog of dental health care, putting a truthful perspective in place that relates to our plan for the teeth and oral health of our children. Minister Ley also addressed a public forum and explained how the lousy scare tactic Labor is running about patients facing increased costs for pap smears or blood tests is just that—a scare tactic. The Medicare rebate to the patient will not change on 1 July.

We also visited Nowra East Public School to talk to students and teachers about diabetes. We met with Breeana Gurney, who has type 1 diabetes, and her mum Julie, to launch the booklet Mastering Diabetesa fantastic resource for schools to raise diabetes awareness.

Another significant part of the Minister's visit was the announcement of $764,000 for Waminda's Dead or Deadly program for the next three years. Faye Worner and Hayley Longbottom were almost speechless when this was announced at the forum, where health professionals had just been asking the minister to place a greater emphasis on preventative medicine. And that is the beauty of the Dead or Deadly program, which is all about prevention and education. I have been working with Waminda for over two years in order to get this funding for them, and I am so proud.