Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Ludwig. The report by the National Advisory Council on Dental Health was released, interestingly, at 5 pm yesterday. The report by some of the foremost experts on dental and public health highlights the shocking state of dental health in this country. The report advocates a transi­tion to a Commonwealth funded, universal dental scheme. Will the government commit to this goal of universal, Medicare funded dental care for all Australians?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Di Natale for his continuing interest in dental health—I did have the opportunity of seeing his press release this morning. The government has committed to publicly funded dental care which is targeted at those Australians who can least afford to pay for dental care themselves.

To provide the government with options, as Senator Di Natale has outlined, we established the National Advisory Council on Dental Health. Minister Plibersek received the report late last week. The report raises questions and points to challenges which would need to be resolved in order to deliver a publicly funded dental scheme. This is also about dealing with priorities—about how we spend our money and how we ensure we get value for money. Any scheme would have to be managed in a fiscally responsible way and be phased in over a period of time. It would also need to be targeted at those Australians who can least afford to pay for oral health care themselves, account for gaps in existing private and public dental services, and address workforce and infrastructure constraints. There is also the issue of existing Commonwealth funding of dental care—any new scheme would have to be established after the closure of the chronic disease dental scheme. I am sure the Greens would support that, but those opposite are not so helpful in that regard.

As a first step towards delivering on its commitment, the Gillard government have said that we will direct $165 million over three years to a means tested, targeted scheme. Those opposite— (Time expired)

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Senator Ludwig would be pleased to know that the report did present several near-term, targeted options for advancing the publicly funded dental care of all children and low-income adults. So will the government commit to immediate action and follow the council's recommendation that these specific groups be funded over the forward estimates as a stepping stone towards universal coverage?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Di Natale for his supplementary question. The government has taken the first step. As a first step towards delivering on its commitment, the Gillard government have said that we will direct $165 million over three years to a means tested and targeted scheme. When you look at what those opposite are proposing—and I am sure the Greens would agree with this—Mr Abbot's aspiration for a dental care scheme is laughable. When the Leader of the Opposition told the Press Club his scheme would cost $4 billion, Mr Shane Fryer, President of the Australian Dental Association, said it would cost triple that amount. He told the Financial Review:

He’s not within coo-ee on the costing.

Yet more spending promises from those opposite to add to the $70 billion crater they are creating—their $70 billion black hole. In the meantime— (Time expired)

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I would appreciate it if the minister would commit to the specific funding identified in the council's report rather than being sidetracked by other promises. I ask him again: will the government, in this year's budget, commit to funding the dental services recommended by the National Advisory Council on Dental Health?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Di Natale for his further supplementary question. One of the hurdles to the funding challenge we have is those opposite. I am sure the Greens understand that. We need first to close the chronic disease dental scheme, a scheme which is poorly targeted and unable to deliver. The CDS, while providing services to some, it is recognised, is not well targeted towards providing assistance in accessing dental services to those Australians most in financial need. If those opposite were to come on board and close that scheme down, it may provide us with the opportunity to look at how we could—

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, Mr President: I raise the issue of relevance. I specifically asked about the government's response to the report of the National Advisory Council on Dental Health, which identified a specific funding amount to be committed in this year's budget. Just a simple yes or no will do.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I cannot tell the minister how to answer the question. The minister has 18 seconds remaining and I draw his attention to the question.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will take that part of the question on notice to see whether Minister Plibersek can add any additional comment. It is acknowledged that she did receive the report late last week. The report did raise, as I think Senator Di Natale mentioned, a range of challenges. But what this government has done is put forward— (Time expired)