Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Health, upon notice, on 14 June 2012:

With reference to correspondence sent from the department's Ministerial Liaison and Support Section on 19 April 2012:

(1) Why did it take 2 months for the department to provide basic acknowledgement and advice that the matter would be passed to a different Minister.

(2) Has the Minister provided any guidance to the department on the timeframes within which the department is required to respond; if so, can a copy of the advice be provided.

(3) Given that the initial letter sought 'urgent advice', is it common for a basic response to take 2 months; if so, why; if not, why did it occur on this occasion.

(4) Does the Minister consider the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme to be an important issue requiring attention.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Health has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) to (3) There are established time frames for responding to ministerial correspondence within the Department of Health and Ageing (see attachment A). Every effort is made to respond in a timely manner noting that complex issues and cross portfolio issues may require additional time.

The issue raised in Senator Abetz's letter is a cross portfolio issue between the Department of Health and Ageing and the Department of Human Services and it required consultation between those two agencies to determine who was best placed to respond.

(4) The Australian Government considers access to affordable, high quality oral health care for all Australians of importance, particularly for low income earners and disadvantaged people. While the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme provides services for some parts of the population, it is not well targeted to assist those Australians most in financial need. The Government intends to close the scheme to put in place more appropriate policies.

Attachment A