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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 8 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2266 ..

MR CORNWELL (continuing):

My question is: have you broken your promise to the people of the ACT and will 1,700 people now have to wait until at least the next budget, or after the next budget, before they can receive dental services?

MR STANHOPE: No, we have not broken a promise, Mr Speaker. In the last election campaign the ALP did go to the election with a policy in relation to dental care, and for Mr Cornwell's information and the information of members I will read it:

The cost of private services, and long waiting times in the public system mean that the dental health of many in our community is very poor indeed. Currently people have to wait over two years for restorative work and nearly eight months for dentures in the public dental health program. This represents a marked deterioration in the public dental program from the 1990s. The Federal Labor Government injected $228 million into public sector dental services between 1994 and 1996. In 1996 the waiting time for restorative work was about five weeks. The scheme was abolished in the first Howard Government Budget-surely one of the most mean spirited decisions in health budget records.

I will just repeat that sentence:

The scheme was abolished in the first Howard Government Budget-surely one of the most mean spirited decisions in health budget records.

I might just repeat that: the dental scheme was abolished by the federal Liberal government-"surely one of the most mean spirited decisions in health budget records". Have I repeated it enough?

Mrs Dunne: Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order under standing order 62-tedious and repetitious. This is Mr Stanhope's stock in trade, just repeating things over and over again.

MR STANHOPE: Oh, repetitive? You don't want me to repeat that? I continue:

Continuing discomfort of unattended dental condition in turn affects general ...

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, we have raised a point of order about this.

MR SPEAKER: Yes, I think she has a point. I think the message has probably sunk in by now. Mr Stanhope, do you want to continue?

MR STANHOPE: I'm sorry, Mr Speaker?

MR SPEAKER: Repetition-Mrs Dunne complained that you had repeated it too many times.

MR STANHOPE: Right, the federal Liberal government's attitude, the fact that they abolished it?

MR SPEAKER: That was the one she has was complaining about.

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