Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (9 April) . . Page.. 780 ..

MRS CARNELL: The approach that we have taken with school dentistry, as I explained yesterday, means that people with pension cards and people on low incomes will be exempted from all payments. That means they will get it free. On top of that, and in line with what Ms Tucker said in her initial question about comments that we and, I think, Mr Moore made in 1992, our concern was that the previous Government was moving away from school-based services. They were moving away from mobile services at the schools. Our concern was about how you were going to get in touch with parents if the service was not at the schools. As I explained yesterday, parents on low incomes may not be as involved with their children's health as some other parents may be. How do you ensure that those children get the services that they need? That was what we were talking about in 1992 - a very appropriate thing to talk about.

The comments about letters in 1992 were made after the previous Government moved away from school-based services to cluster clinics. Mr Moore and I argued very well that if you were going to do that you needed to follow up with the parents more than once to tell the parents that they no longer could expect their children to have their dental services at school; that they were going to have to take their children to another - - -

Ms Tucker: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Can I just ask what this has to do with my supplementary question?

MRS CARNELL: It has everything to do with it.

MR SPEAKER: Be patient, Ms Tucker.

MRS CARNELL: We have moved to a mobile dental service. As part of that mobile dental service, as I said, pensioners and low-income earners will get the service free. On top of that, people who are not on low incomes or pensions will pay a one-off amount of money that will cover all dental services, except orthodontics. All children of people who are on low incomes or pensions or, alternatively, who pay a very small amount of money will have their dental services, except orthodontics, covered by the Government. I think that is a pretty impressive improvement in service, particularly with a $1.3m reduction by the Commonwealth.

MS REILLY: My question is to Mr Humphries in his capacity as Attorney-General. Minister, can you confirm that $60,000 of government funds was provided to a private for-profit business to operate an under-18s cafe and disco called Dee-Dee's which went broke and closed within a month?

MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, I can. I was present at the launch of Dee-Dee's about three weeks ago. Members will be aware that that project was recommended by the Community Safety Committee. The Government was keen to support the concept. I would hope that, whatever the outcome of this particular exercise, members will still see that a concept like this was certainly worth supporting. A successful tenderer was chosen

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .