Federal Attorney-General and Member for Barton, Robert McClelland, today called on NSW Liberal and National Senators to stop their irresponsible threat to block public dental services for NSW.
The Rudd Government wants to invest $290 million in cutting public dental waiting lists, $91.34 million in NSW. Right now, there are 650,000 people waiting for public dental services.
Labor’s program will provide 327,200 dental services to the people of NSW – but none of these services will occur if the Liberals and Nationals continue to block funding for the Commonwealth Dental Health Program.
“Dental care was consistently raised by constituents during last year’s election. The Liberal and National parties need to remind themselves that Australians made a choice at the last election – they elected the Rudd Government to turn around 12 years of dental neglect by the Howard Government.” Mr McClelland said
“At the last election, Labor promised to abolish the Liberal Party’s poorly targeted, failed dental scheme, and redirect the funding to provide public dental care to the most vulnerable in our community.
“Now the Liberals and Nationals are threatening to block that funding, by keeping their failed dental scheme alive – completely ignoring the message voters sent them at the last election. And that means there will be no Commonwealth Dental Health Program.
“If the Commonwealth Dental Health Program doesn’t go ahead and people in my electorate miss out on vital treatment, it will be because the Liberal and National parties are refusing to support dental care for those in the most need.
“Labor is also providing over a million teenagers with $150 towards a preventative dental check – to keep their teeth healthy, and help them develop good habits for life.
“The Rudd Government wants to invest $290 million in public dental care – but we’ll only be able to do that if the Liberals and Nationals stop blocking the funding for the Commonwealth Dental Health Program.
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