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Howard Coalition Caught in Dental Health Deception; Rowe

Jane Rowe ALP candidate for Gippsland

Jane Rowe ALP candidate for Gippsland

Labor Candidate for Gippsland, Jane Rowe has slammed local coalition members for what she says is the Coalition Government ‘peddling lies’ about its failing dental policy.

By Jane Rowe - 2nd November 2007 - Back to News

Howard coalition caught in dental health deception; Rowe

 

Labor Candidate for Gippsland, Jane Rowe has slammed local coalition members for what she says is the Coalition Government ‘peddling lies’ about its failing dental policy.

 

"The Howard Liberal/National Coalition has been telling voters their changed dental policy is open to all Australians – when it is only open to a very narrow range of people." Ms Rowe said.

 

"In Gippsland I’ve been hearing wildly exaggerated tales of who can receive dental care under the Howard Government’s so called Enhanced Primary Care program" said Ms Rowe

 

"Peter McGauran needs to come clean on the true impact of this scheme.

 

"The fact is that the Government's failing dental scheme is not available to anyone with a toothache, it is only available to people who have a chronic medical condition and your dental health condition is making that condition worse. Even then you must have a ‘Multidisciplinary Care Plan’ drawn up by your treating doctor before you are considered for eligibility for some dental care!"

 

"No wonder only 7000 Australians have received assistance from the program over the last three years." Ms Rowe said.

 

"Here in Gippsland only a handful of people have been helped by the program.

 

Ms Rowe said that waiting lists for urgent dental care had blown out since the Federal government had withdrawn the Commonwealth Dental Health Scheme when they first came to Government 10 years ago.

 

Ms Rowe said that the cuts had effectively taken $10b out of the mouths of families in need of urgent dental care and meant that waiting lists had ballooned to "an inhumane third world" 4 years and more in some places in Gippsland.

 

"Some of our youngest, oldest and most in need have teeth literally rotting in their mouths with no treatment in sight" Ms Rowe said.

 

"This is the legacy of 10 years of the National Party looking after the welfare of Gippslanders".

 

"It is, quite literally a national disgrace" and angry Ms Rowe said.

 

The Labor candidate for the seat of Gippsland in the upcoming Federal election said that in contrast , the first instalment of Labor's Commonwealth Dental Health Program – committing $290 million for a new Commonwealth Dental Health Program – would fund up to 1 million dental consultations and treatments across the country.

 

"Federal Labor’s dental policy will help clear the backlog on our public dental waiting lists; the Government’s policy will do nothing to alleviate Australia’s dental crisis." concluded Ms Rowe.

 

Contact: Jane Rowe 0424 157 584


Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: howardw@aapt.net.au



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