'No magic pudding' for dental scheme - Roxon

There will be no funding for a comprehensive dental subsidy scheme in the May Budget, The Australian reported today. Health Minister Nicola Roxon told the newspaper that there was “no magic pudding” of money available for the scheme. Prime Minister Gillard last September signed an agreement with the Greens that committed the Government to include a dental scheme in the Budget in return their support to form government. “ … we are having discussions with the Greens about investments needed in dental health, as well as a lot of other areas such as mental health and (spending on) rural and regional Australia,” Ms Roxon said.