Opened the debate
Waters argued that the government failed to address the crisis where two million Australians could not afford dental care, leading to 80,000 hospital admissions for preventable conditions. Waters contended that dental care should be covered by Medicare like other medical services, rather than relying on private insurance rebates or state-based public systems. Waters highlighted the success of the existing Medicare dental program for children, which was established in 2010, and called for its expansion to all Australians. Waters asserted that closing tax loopholes for large corporations would generate sufficient revenue to fund universal dental care, free GP visits, and improved public education.