No promise on dental health scheme: Abbott.
Date
August 30, 2012
The Age.
AAP
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says extending the dental health scheme is unaffordable and a future coalition government won't do so unless the budget is in a better position.
The federal government announced on Wednesday it would scrap two existing dental schemes and spend $4 billion on a revamped package for low income adults and children aged two to 17, to start in 2014.
One economist has estimated the government will need to find an extra $120 billion to 2020 to fund major policies, including the dental programs, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and a promised school funding boost.
Mr Abbott told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday the existing Medicare-based dental scheme, which he established as health minister in the Howard government, had worked well.
"I don't think the way to improve dental health is to axe the existing Medicare scheme," he said.
"I would like, when the budget is in much better shape than it is now, to extend that, but at moment we have a diabolical budget position.
"The government has a $120 billion budget black hole because of commitments it has already made."
Mr Abbott said the opposition's budget strategy would be released closer to the election, due in late 2013, which current polling suggests the coalition would win.
But he said the coalition would not be making "a whole range of additional commitments".
"This is a government that has been spending like a drunken sailor and the last thing we want to see is a bad problem get worse," he said.
© 2012 AAP
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Mr Abbott - No Promise On Dental Health Scheme. (Read 592 times)
