Abbott backs Greens’ dental plan but fails to put money where his mouth is
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012Greens’ spokesperson for dental health, Senator Richard Di Natale, has welcomed Tony Abbott’s backing of the Greens’ Denticare plan, but says that the Australian people want a commitment, not just aspirations.
“I am pleased to see that the Greens’ plan to bring dental treatment into Medicare is something that Tony Abbott aspires to - but he needs to put his money where his mouth is.
“Millions of people delay treatment due to cost. Basic problems become serious ones, resulting in $500 million in costs from visits to emergency departments and GPs with 2 billion in lost productivity. In extreme cases, lives are at risk.
“It’s not good enough for the alternative PM to express his concerns about the problems facing the nation - he needs tell us what he’s going to do to fix them. (more…)