ALP Health Platform released

The Victorian ALP Platform for the forthcoming State Election has now been published. Chapter 3 deals with their Health Policies.

It includes a brief mention of dental care, expressed in the following terms:

"3.12 Until the Commonwealth Government restores federal funding support for dental services, Labor will focus on reducing general dental care waiting times for socially disadvantaged Victorians.

Public dental services are vital to the well-being of Victorians. Following the axing of Commonwealth funding in 1996, dental services have been severely stretched.

Labor will give particular priority to:
• Improving access to dentures for concession card holders;
• Extending funding for pre-school and school dental programs;
• Promoting dental care for pregnant women;
• Promoting fluoridation of water supplies as a public health resource;
• Providing fluoride tablets through Maternal and Child Health to those living in nonfluoridated areas and areas of non-reticulated water;
• Improving access to dental technician training in TAFEs; and
• Expanding the public dental workforce, particularly in rural and regional areas."

Those interested in reading the entire Victorian ALP Platform 2006 (194 pages), should be aware that this is a very large file (over 7 MB).