Thursday, 18 August 2022

Dental services

Mr WALSH (Murray Plains) (14:35): My question is to the Minister for Health. John from Lockington had to wait five years to get a public dental appointment. After finally getting this procedure—

Ms Ward interjected.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Eltham can leave the chamber for the period of 1 hour.

Member for Eltham withdrew from chamber.

Mr WALSH: John from Lockington had to wait five years to get a public dental appointment. After finally getting this procedure, within months the same tooth developed further issues, and sadly he now needs extra work. He has just been told he has to wait another two years just to get seen again. How is it fair that Victorians must wait as long as seven years to have basic public dental work done?

Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:36): I thank the member for Murray Plains for his question. I think we all understand how painful dental pain can be, particularly as we get older—

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Members at the table. The Deputy Premier will come to order.

Mr Walsh: On a point of order, Speaker, I have asked an important question on behalf of John who would like an answer. I would ask you to have the Deputy Premier show respect to one of her ministers and actually let her answer the question.

The SPEAKER: It is not a point of order, and I ask you not to reflect on the Chair.

Ms THOMAS: Thank you very much, Speaker. As I was saying, I want to send my best wishes to John from Lockington because I do know that dental pain can be really difficult. This is why our government has invested more in our public dental waiting list and indeed, as I explained yesterday, established a fabulous new initiative, Smile Squad, which will—

Members interjecting.

Ms THOMAS: I know they do not want to hear about it. They do not want to hear about it over there. What it does is free up other public dental places by making sure that every child in a Victorian government primary and secondary school can receive the care they need and free up, as I said—

Ms McLeish interjected.

The SPEAKER: The member for Eildon can leave the chamber for the period of 1 hour.

Member for Eildon withdrew from chamber.

Ms THOMAS: Anyway, they do not understand, so I will move on. Our government announced in 2021 $27 million for public dental providers to target their waiting lists, and this will provide an additional 40 000 services to public dental health patients right across Victoria. I think we need to also remember that it was the previous Liberal federal government that slashed funding. They maintained a 30 per cent cut to our public dental funding, and so our government has had to step in there and deliver the services that Victorians need. If the member for Murray Plains wishes to provide details of John, I will follow up for him.

Mr WALSH (Murray Plains) (14:39): It appears John has to go back to school to get dental treatment. Like thousands of other Victorians John’s wife Debra is also on the public dental waiting list. Debra has been waiting in pain for basic dental work for six years. What does the minister have to say to Victorians like John and Debra who are waiting years on the dental waiting list as to why fixing the health crisis is not a key priority for the Andrews government?

Ms Britnell interjected.

The SPEAKER: The member for South-West Coast can leave the chamber for the period of 1 hour.

Member for South-West Coast withdrew from chamber.

Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:39): Look, I want to make the point that our government has made significant investments to tackle the public dental health waiting list but perhaps even more importantly is making sure that the next generation receive their vital dental care as children so that we can maintain good oral health for young people and free up more spaces on the public health—

Mr Walsh: On a point of order, Speaker, on the issue of relevance, John and Debra are 40-something-year-old adults. They are not at school; they are not going to benefit from the program that the minister talks about. It is about how people like John and Debra actually get help, not what the government is doing for schoolchildren in this particular question, and I ask you to bring her back to answering the question, please.

The SPEAKER: The minister was referring to the question in relation to dental health.

Ms THOMAS: I will just say it once more. The investment in Smile Squad is freeing up places on the public dental waiting list for John and Debra. If the member for Murray Plains would like to write to me and give me John and Debra’s details, I will follow up.