Federal Government says it's quietly confident its proposed changes to private health insurance will pass the House of Representatives tonight. The government has promised an extra 165 million dollars for dental care for low income Australians, which has guaranteed the support of the Greens.
MARK COLVIN: The Federal Government says it's confident that its proposed changes to private health insurance will pass the Lower House tonight.
That's despite the independent Rob Oakeshott still refusing to say how he'll vote.
The Government has won the support of the Greens by promising an extra $165 million for dental care.
That's well short of the billion dollars the Greens had been calling for, but they say it is a good start towards setting up a system of universal dental care.
The Greens' support means that if the changes pass the House tonight, they're guaranteed to get through the Senate.
From Canberra, Naomi Woodley reports.
NAOMI WOODLEY: The Health Minister, Tanya Plibersek is confident she'll be able to deliver what the Parliament has twice blocked before, a means test on the private health insurance rebate, and an increase in the Medicare levy surcharge for wealthy Australians who don't take out private cover.
TANYA PLIBERSEK: This is a very big win for fairness. It means that low income Australians won't be subsidising the private health insurance rebates of much higher paid Australians and I'm very pleased that it's likely that this legislation will pass this evening.
NAOMI WOODLEY: The Greens were always expected to support the Government but their votes have been secured by an extra $165 million over three years for dental care.
TANYA PLIBERSEK: An additional terrific outcome is that we will see greater, better investment in helping the poorest Australians, the 20 per cent who are currently missing out on dental care, receive better dental care.
NAOMI WOODLEY: The agreement is well short of the billion dollars the Greens had been pushing the Government to include in this year's budget for dental care. But their Health spokesman, Richard Di Natale says it's still a significant investment.
RICHARD DI NATALE: And those people who can now go to the dentist who couldn't afford to do so previously will be grateful. But you're right, it's not enough. More needs to be done.
This, as far as we're concerned, is the start of a negotiation with the Government.
NAOMI WOODLEY: Tanya Plibersek says decisions on what other promises might be included in the budget haven't been finalised but she's playing down expectations of a large scale boost to dental funding.
TANYA PLIBERSEK: Adding dental to Medicare in the way that some people have suggested, including in the past the Greens have suggested, would be a cost of about $5 or $6 billion a year and we are certainly not in the position to add $5 or $6 billion a year to the health budget.
And in fact we wouldn't even have the dental workforce to meet that need, should we make that change overnight.
NAOMI WOODLEY: The Greens' Richard Di Natale, says they've always believed setting up a universal dental care system would take five years.
RICHARD DI NATALE: So we're still committed to the scale of investment in the order of a billion dollars.
We think that's what's necessary in the coming budget. We think that with a range of measures some new money and some reform of current dental spending that we can achieve it and that's what we'll be working towards with the Government.
NAOMI WOODLEY: The Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie has confirmed he will vote for the Government's measures, meaning the last crucial vote will belong to the New South Wales independent Rob Oakeshott.
Tanya Plibersek says the Government hasn't offered any extra inducements to win him over but she's quietly confident he's on side. Mr Oakeshott's office says he's consistently maintained his silence on how he'll vote.
Speaking before the Government's announcement, the Opposition leader Tony Abbott was still hoping to influence Mr Oakeshott's decision.
TONY ABBOTT: The matter is still before the Parliament. There is time for the independent members of this Parliament to stand up for their constituents. There is time for the independent members of this Parliament to keep the Government honest, rather than facilitating dishonesty.
NAOMI WOODLEY: If the changes go through they'll provide $2.4 billion over three years for the federal budget.
The Government is hoping to wrap the debate up tonight but it could spill over until tomorrow.
MARK COLVIN: Naomi Woodley.
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