Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I must say that the member for Ryan usually researches her speeches well, but unfortunately on this occasion she is quite confused about the Medicare Chronic Disease Dental Scheme. It was not a scheme that dealt with chronic dental disease, as she constantly stated throughout her contribution; rather, it was open to people who suffered from a chronic disease to access that program. Yes, it did help some people, but, then again, I felt that a scheme that would enable somebody with an ingrown toenail to access the chronic disease dental scheme shows that it was a very poorly targeted program.

That was the problem with that scheme: it was poorly targeted. It had no means test whatsoever. People who were millionaires were accessing that scheme. Dentists who I have spoken to about it were really frustrated about the types of people who were coming along and accessing the scheme. All they needed was a doctor who would sign off on it and they would be able to go along and get over $4,000 worth of dental treatment. It was poorly, poorly targeted! It was a scheme that helped some people but did not help others.

The other point I wanted to make was that the member for Ryan was talking about Grow Up Smiling—how that would not be accessible and that families could not access it until 1 January this year. It is in place and it is working. Thousands of children throughout Australia are actually accessing this scheme. Let us look at what you are axing here. A program—

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