Tuesday, 25 August 2026

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:16): (1431) I am pleased to be following the minister after her statement. Minister for Health, the Australian Dental Association says 48 per cent of dental chairs in Victoria’s public dental system are vacant, while Victoria has the worst paid public dentists in the country. Yet your government has promised 10 new urgent dental clinics, open seven days a week and treating more than 100,000 Victorians a year. That is at least 50 extra public dentists, when the ADA says you are more than 300 short on the chairs you have now. Minister, this is just another con job. Where are you going to find the dentists for these 10 clinics?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (12:17): Despite the efforts of those opposite to run negative on something that Victorians have been calling for for too long – your postcode or your bank balance has determined whether you get good dental care or not – we are about changing that, and we are about making sure that no matter where you live or what your personal circumstances are you can access free dental health care. This builds on the significant services that we are already providing across community health and of course through the dental hospital and the Smile Squad. Can I just talk about the Smile Squad for a minute. A thousand schools the Smile Squad have been to – 175,000 Victorian students getting excellent oral health –

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, I know the minister is wanting to promote certain government policies, but my question was very specific, and I would ask you to bring the minister back to answering the question.

The PRESIDENT: The minister has still got 2 minutes and 15 seconds, so I will call the minister to the question.

Ingrid STITT: Context is important. It is important to actually show our track record when it comes to the provision of public dental, unlike those opposite: our free dental clinics, alongside Smile Squad and of course our investment in public dental health and making sure more Victorians can get access to the dental care that they need. Too many people are waiting in pain and not getting treated in a timely manner.

In relation to workforce, we are investing $12.9 million in building and supporting Victoria’s public dental workforce, and that includes support for 30 dental assistant traineeships and 20 graduate dentists every year, on top of what we are already doing. As well as relocation support to attract clinicians where they are needed the most, we are investing in clinical supervision, career pathways and other measures to retain our hardworking public dental workforce. We know that these targeted initiatives work. Our Smile Squad workforce action plan increased the number of clinical teams by 50 per cent – from 36 to 54 – between June 2024 and June 2026. We are not in the business of listening to those opposite when it comes to investing in and supporting our amazing healthcare workforce. We will continue to invest strongly in existing public dental, but we will do more, because that is what Victorians have called for – more access to dental care. It is about dignity. It is about making sure that Victorians are not waiting in pain for the care that they deserve.

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:20): Minister, 86,000 Victorians who are the most vulnerable are already waiting for public dental care, yet instead of clearing that waiting list, your government is promising to open free public dental care to every Victorian. Why are you putting thousands more people into the public dental system when you cannot provide timely care to the 86,000 vulnerable Victorians already waiting?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (12:21): This is nation-leading reform. This is the Victorian government stepping in and stepping up to meet an incredibly serious dental care need. Victorians –

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister is answering the question.

Ingrid STITT: People have been talking a big game about dental care in Australia for decades. Our government is getting on with doing something about that through the provision of expanded access to free public dental health care. Only those opposite could possibly be negative about this. It is just incredible and beggars belief. We will continue to deliver on what Victorians are saying they need – not only excellent dental care but also structural cost-of-living relief.

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:22): I move:

That the minister’s responses be taken into consideration on the next day of meeting.

Motion agreed to.