Adam Bandt wants to put a healthy smile on every Australian dial - and he's got a very large toothbrush to help.
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See subscription optionsFlanked by local candidates and looking like an extra from a stage adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk, the Greens leader unveiled his pitch to bring dental cover onto Medicare in front of Luna Park's iconic Mr Moon.
The exorbitant cost of going to the dentist means many Australians are stuck with smiles in worse shape than the St Kilda landmark.
With many pollsters predicting a hung parliament at the May 3 federal election, Mr Bandt aims to use minority government negotiations to make dental care more affordable and accessible.
"You shouldn't have to pay through the teeth to see the dentist, but many people are putting off going to the dentist because of the costs," Mr Bandt told reporters on Friday.
"Last time that there was a minority parliament, the Greens got dental into Medicare for kids.
"This time in the minority parliament that's coming, we want to finish the job and get dental into Medicare for everyone."
Labor currently sits on a notional tally of 78 seats in the 150-member lower house, meaning a net loss of three seats would force it to negotiate with the crossbench to form government.
The Greens currently hold four seats, and any additional scalps would further increase their chances of holding the balance of power and strengthening their negotiating position.
The Parliamentary Budget Office estimated the cost of adding dental to Medicare at $45 billion across the four-year budget estimates period.
The Greens say this would be funded by "Robin Hood" reforms, taxing windfall profits of big corporations which they claim would raise $121 billion in the same period.
Dental cover was initially intended to be included in Medicare's precursor when it was devised in the 1970s but was left out of the scheme due to cost limitations and opposition from dentists.
Health Minister Mark Butler said it was a Labor ambition to eventually bring dental into Medicare, but it would not happen soon.
"Over time, we'd love to see it be able to come in," he told ABC Radio Sydney.
"But it would be very expensive, a very big job to do, and my focus right now is on strengthening the Medicare that we currently have, which when we came to government was in a pretty terrible state of disrepair."
Australian Associated Press
