Published Friday, 25 May, 2007 at 02:54 PM
Minister for Health
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
Far North dental health troubles Howard’s making
Federal Liberal Candidate for Leichhardt Charlie McKillop should be pointing the finger at her Coalition colleagues for abolishing federal dental health funding, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.
“The reason services are under pressure in the Far North is because the Howard Government scrapped all Commonwealth funding for public dental health services in 1996,” he said.
“That was worth $20 million per year for public dental health services in Queensland.
“But perhaps the most damming fact is that the Howard Commonwealth Government has failed miserably to provide enough university places for dental students resulting in a national shortage of dentists in Australia.
“Queensland’s population has boomed in recent years, but the number of home-grown dental graduates has only increased marginally from 45 in 1997 to 52 in 2006.
“That’s not good enough and goes a long way to explain why we have so many vacancies for dentists in the far north.
“I’m sick and tired of Ms McKillop blaming the Queensland Government.”
Mr Robertson said dental pressures were not a result of a lack of investment by the Queensland Government.
“The Queensland Government operates the most comprehensive free public dental service in Australia,” he said.
“We treat more than 1.2 million Queenslanders a year and are spending a record $138 million on public dental services this year.”
Mr Robertson said Federal Labor Leader Kevin Rudd’s commitment to boost funding for public dental was in stark contrast to the Howard Government.
“For the first time in nearly a decade we have public dental back on the Federal agenda,” he said.
“Mr Howard and Mr Costello have continued to turn their backs on the real battlers.
“Mr Rudd's commitment to fund dental care is a breath of fresh air and will help take pressure off public dental waiting lists.”
25 May, 2007
MEDIA: MATTHEW JUTSUM 3225 2680
“The reason services are under pressure in the Far North is because the Howard Government scrapped all Commonwealth funding for public dental health services in 1996,” he said.
“That was worth $20 million per year for public dental health services in Queensland.
“But perhaps the most damming fact is that the Howard Commonwealth Government has failed miserably to provide enough university places for dental students resulting in a national shortage of dentists in Australia.
“Queensland’s population has boomed in recent years, but the number of home-grown dental graduates has only increased marginally from 45 in 1997 to 52 in 2006.
“That’s not good enough and goes a long way to explain why we have so many vacancies for dentists in the far north.
“I’m sick and tired of Ms McKillop blaming the Queensland Government.”
Mr Robertson said dental pressures were not a result of a lack of investment by the Queensland Government.
“The Queensland Government operates the most comprehensive free public dental service in Australia,” he said.
“We treat more than 1.2 million Queenslanders a year and are spending a record $138 million on public dental services this year.”
Mr Robertson said Federal Labor Leader Kevin Rudd’s commitment to boost funding for public dental was in stark contrast to the Howard Government.
“For the first time in nearly a decade we have public dental back on the Federal agenda,” he said.
“Mr Howard and Mr Costello have continued to turn their backs on the real battlers.
“Mr Rudd's commitment to fund dental care is a breath of fresh air and will help take pressure off public dental waiting lists.”
25 May, 2007
MEDIA: MATTHEW JUTSUM 3225 2680