Turnbull Government determined to let health system rot

After months of dithering and incompetence, the Turnbull Government has finally revealed the future of its doomed dental scheme.

Queensland Health and Ambulance Services Minister Cameron Dick slammed the announcement which represents the biggest cut yet to dental funding for Queensland.

“Another day, another health cut from the Turnbull Government.

“The changes that Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley announced via media release represent a 75% cut to federal dental funding for Queensland on what was promised in Tony Abbott’s first slash and burn budget in 2014-15.

The 2014-15 Federal Budget papers indicate Queensland’s share of the National partnership on adult public dental services for 2017-18 would be $78.3 million. The changes released by Minister Ley cut that figure to $19.4 million – or a 75% cut in funding.

“This sort of cut would even make the failed former Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey blush.

“The Queensland Government just can’t keep absorbing the cuts to health that Malcolm Turnbull keeps making,” the Minister said.

“Earlier this year, the Turnbull Government proposed axing the National Partnership Agreement and replacing it with a $2.1 billion Child and Adult Dental Scheme.

“The $2.1 billion was a mirage. That scheme never saw the light of day.

“Now we've found out that what we have instead is a $242 million fig leaf of a policy.

“Maybe the significant cut to funding for our state is why Sussan Ley was too embarrassed to pick up the phone and tell the Queensland Government before she made the announcement,” Minister Dick said.

Minister Ley claimed the reason the Federal Government had not proceeded with the previously announced scheme was that the States did not support it.

“Well I’ll tell you what else I don’t support – I don’t support $10 billion being ripped out of Queensland public hospitals over the next ten years,” Minister Dick said.

“I don’t support federal cuts to mental health funding, or aged care funding, or the out of hours GP service.

“They even cut funding to services that helped new mums suffering post-natal depression.

“At every turn, the Palaszczuk Government has stood up for Queensland and opposed the never-ending cuts to health being made by Malcolm Turnbull.

“I’m calling on every Queensland state and federal member of parliament, no matter what side of politics they’re from, to support us by telling Malcolm Turnbull ‘enough is enough’.

“Tim Nicholls said this week that he did not take his riding instructions from Canberra.

“Well now’s his chance to prove it. He needs to show he can stand up to Canberra and tell Malcolm Turnbull to stop taking an axe to health funding for Queensland.”

ENDS

Media contact: Laura Gowdie 0413 492 117