David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That these bills be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading speeches incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speeches read as follows—

HEALTH INSURANCE AMENDMENT (MEDICARE DENTAL SERVICES) BILL 2007

This Bill introduces amendments which will increase access to dental treatment under Medicare for people with chronic conditions and complex care needs.

People with chronic conditions (such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer) often have poor oral health, which can adversely affect their condition or general health.

From 1 November 2007, new dental items will be introduced on the Medicare Benefits Schedule, enabling these patients to receive Medicare benefits for a broad range of dental services.

Eligible patients will be able to access up to $4,250 in Medicare dental benefits over two consecutive calendar years. This amount includes any Medicare Safety Net benefits payable to the patient. Patients will be able to access benefits for any combination of dental assessment and treatment services, based on their clinical needs.

I am pleased to say this is more generous than what was originally announced in the Budget. The new arrangements were developed following consultations with stakeholders and will provide more flexibility for patients to receive complex treatment when it is required.

The Commonwealth Government has committed $384.6 million over four years to this measure—a significant investment that will help eligible patients to access dental treatment in the private sector. The Medicare items complement, but are not intended to replace, public dental services which are the responsibility of State and Territory Governments.

The new Medicare items will be targeted at people with chronic conditions and complex care needs where the person’s oral health is impacting on, or is likely to impact on, his or her general health. To be eligible, a person needs to be managed by a general practitioner (GP) under specific chronic disease management and multidisciplinary care plans. Patients will need to be referred by their GP to a dentist.

The Health Insurance Amendment (Medicare Dental Services) Bill 2007 enables the implementation of the measure in two ways.

First, it enables eligible patients to receive Medicare benefits up to a specified amount ($4,250 over two consecutive calendar years) for dental services.

Second, the Bill enables Medicare benefits to be payable for the supply of dental prostheses, including dentures. This will particularly help the elderly, many of whom have chronic and complex conditions and who need dentures to be able to eat a balanced, healthy diet.

The new Medicare items complement other Commonwealth initiatives announced in the 2007-08 Federal Budget designed to increase access to dental treatment and support the dental workforce. These include investments in a new School of Dentistry and Oral Health at Charles Sturt University, more rural clinical placements, and dental scholarships for indigenous students.

Together these measures will help to further strengthen dental care in Australia.

INDIGENOUS EDUCATION (TARGETED ASSISTANCE) AMENDMENT (CAPE YORK MEASURES) BILL 2007

The primary purpose of this Bill is to amend the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000 by appropriating additional funding of $2 million over the 2008 programme year to improve education opportunities for Indigenous students in the Cape York region of Queensland. Additional funding of $8.1 million will also be provided to support these measures beyond 2008. 

This funding will be used by the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership to embed the Making Up Lost Time in Literacy (MULTILIT) accelerated literacy programme and to work with parents and guardians to establish Student Education Trusts (SETs) in the Cape York communities of Coen, Hope Vale, Aurukun, and Mossman Gorge.

The funding provided to support these measures will ensure additional education support for Indigenous Australians living in the remote communities in Cape York, to achieve equitable educational outcomes. 

The MULTILIT measure will provide approximately 1280 MULTILIT interventions for students who require intensive literacy support.  The successful MULTILIT accelerated literacy programme will be embedded through teaching methodology in classrooms to enhance teaching practice and through Tutorial Centres to further improve literacy skills of Indigenous students.

While some parents in Cape York already contribute financially to their child’s education, a high number of school children start school with minimal learning support in their homes.  The Cape York Institute will work directly with parents in the nominated communities to establish education trusts to support their child’s on-going education and its cost.

These measures reflect the Australian Government’s continuing commitment ensuring that Indigenous students, wherever they live, have access to educational opportunities.

I commend the Bill to the Senate.

Ordered that further consideration of the second reading of these bills be adjourned to the first sitting day of the next period of sittings, in accordance with standing order 111.

Ordered that the bills be listed on the Notice Paper as separate orders of the day.