House debates

Thursday, 26 August 2021

Bills

Dental Benefits Amendment Bill 2021; Second Reading

11:03 am

Photo of David GillespieDavid Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

The Dental Benefits Amendment Bill 2021 removes the lower age eligibility restriction from the Dental Benefits Act 2008 to allow eligible children under 18 years of age to access the Child Dental Benefits Schedule. This amendment will expand the number of children who are eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Scheme by around 300,000 per year and will cost $5.4 million over four years.

The Child Dental Benefits Scheme has been in operation since 2014 and, over that time, has provided over $2.3 billion in benefits and delivered more than 38 million services to over three million Australian children. The Child Dental Benefits Scheme plays an important role in promoting the oral health of Australian children by providing access to dental benefit services up to a cap of $1,013 in benefits over two calendar years.

The Child Dental Benefits Scheme helps children build good oral health and habits through to adulthood. The Child Dental Benefits Scheme is available in both the private and public sectors to support the broadest range of service provision, choice and access to services in a range of settings and locations. The government will continue to work with private and public providers to improve the delivery of dental services to Australia's children. I thank the members for their contribution to the debate on this bill.

Photo of Sharon ClaydonSharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

The original question was that this bill be now read a second time and to this the honourable member for Ballarat has moved an amendment that all words after 'That' be omitted with a view to substituting other words. So the immediate question before the House is that the amendment be disagreed to.

Question agreed to.

The question now is that this bill be now read a second time.

Question agreed to

Bill read a second time.

Message from the Governor-General recommending appropriation announced.