Media Releases

11 Sep 2008 - Local Dental Services Under Threat

Member for Adelaide, Kate Ellis, today called on South Australian Liberal Senators to stop their irresponsible threat to block 85,600 public dental services for South Australia.

The Rudd Government wants to invest $290 million in cutting public dental waiting lists. Right now, there are 650,000 people waiting for public dental services.

But the Liberal and National parties are threatening to block funding for the Rudd Government's commitment to spend $290 million on the Commonwealth Dental Health Program.

Labor's program will provide 85,600 dental services to the people of Adelaide - but none of these services will occur if the Liberals and Nationals continue to block funding for the Commonwealth Dental Health Program.

Member for Adelaide, Kate Ellis MP said dental care was consistently raised by constituents during last year's election campaign - who wanted an end to the blame game and more services for South Australia.

Kate Ellis MP said, "The Liberal and National parties need to remind themselves that the people of Adelaide made a choice at the last election - they elected the Rudd Government to turn around 12 years of dental neglect by the Howard Government.

"At the last election, Labor promised to abolish the Liberal Party's poorly targeted, failed dental scheme, and redirect the funding to provide public dental care to the most vulnerable in our community.

"Now the Liberals and Nationals are threatening to block that funding, by keeping their failed dental scheme alive - completely ignoring the message voters sent them at the last election. And that means there will be no Commonwealth Dental Health Program."

"If the Commonwealth Dental Health Program doesn't go ahead and people in my electorate miss out on vital treatment, it will be because the Liberal and National parties are refusing to support dental care for those in the most need," said Kate Ellis MP.

"Labor is also providing over a million teenagers with $150 towards a preventative dental check - to keep their teeth healthy, and help them develop good habits for life."

"The Rudd Government wants to invest $290 million in public dental care - but we'll only be able to do that if the Liberals and Nationals stop blocking the funding for the Commonwealth Dental Health Program."