Latest Peter Garret reply

I honestly don't know if this email is from Garrett himself or from one of his staffers. I find it very form letter-ish, or like there's stuff copy and pasted in there. It's not like someone actually replying to my simple question, but just more blather and gov lines. This is the reply I got today:

I am writing in response to your email regarding your concerns for the closure of the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme (CDDS) and your eligibility under a new national scheme.

It has long been the Gillard Government’s policy to close the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme (CDDS).

While the CDDS provides services for some parts of the population, is not well targeted to provide assistance to access dental services to those Australians most in financial need. However, the Senate has twice prevented closure of the CDDS, which means that the Government has been unable to put in place a more appropriate scheme.

No closure date is currently set for the CDDS.  A date and appropriate transition arrangements for the closure of the scheme will be detailed once the necessary arrangements for the closure are tabled in Parliament.

I appreciate the time you have taken to bring your concerns to my attention.

if you require any further assistance in relation to any other Federal matters please don’t hesitate to contact my office.

Yours sincerely

Peter Garrett AM

Federal Member for Kingsford Smith
Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth
P: 02 9349 6007 F: 02 9349 8089
www.petergarrett.com.au

And this is the one I sent off just now:

Thanks for your reply.

From it my assumption is that the answer to my question "Being HIV positive, will I still be eligible for assistance under the new scheme, and will I be able to use the private dentist that I've been using for the last 2 years who is part of my health care plan?" is that at this stage you don't know?

I hope that as someone only working 3 days a week I may be considered one of those "most in financial need", although even though I only work 3 days a week I still don't qualify for even a health care card as apparently I earn too much. I did go into all of this in the original email I sent through your contact thing on your website.

Again, I find myself frustrated as this raises more questions than it answers. What then is the criteria for those "in most financial need"? Someone like me who after rent has only about $300 to live off (paying full prescription price for all prescription medicines, not entitled to any Centrelink assistance whatsoever because my gross wage is over) or a pensioner who has about $300 a week to live off as they pay no rent and own there residence? Is the financial test for eligibility going to do something Centrelink doesn't do; take into account my circumstances rather than just my gross wage?

As your minority gov is it seems (thankfully) answerable to the Greens in the Senate regarding this, I take it then that you are unable to close the CDDS until you reach agreement with the Greens as to how this will happen? Is that right?

Honestly Peter these are straightforward questions mate. Can you please just tell me straight out without the party lines? All I want is to know exactly where I stand with this, OK? I have issues of anxiety and something factual would help me in this.

I have an appt shortly with my dentist through the CDDS scheme. I have about $700 I think left until the end of the year, and after that we both expected the next 2 years to be renewed. He can't do any more right now than just cleaning and fillings until that happens. I do need a crown done on a root canal from months back. WTF do I tell him?

Again, all this is going on my blog. I'm sure I'm not the only HIV+ person in Australia concerned about this. I look forward to something more informative.http://lifewithhiv-peter.blogspot.com.au/

Thanks,

I'm feeling pretty discouraged with the gov right now, in fact all politicians in Canberra. If this is any gauge then they're in their own world and not mine. Apparently I pay their wages to get diffuse answers like the above.