By Charlene Gatt
THE State Government was called to task for failing to fund 12 new dental chairs for the Western Region Health Centre at a budget breakfast last week.
Former member for Footscray Bruce Mildenhall questioned why the State Government did not include a $9 million overhaul of the service in its 2011/12 budget, which was released earlier this month.
The health centre provides dental services from two clinics in Footscray – a children’s clinic in Geelong Rd and an adults clinic in Paisley St – and provides emergency and general dental care to more than 10,000 patients each year.
The Department of Health is currently doing a feasibility study on a new dental facility that would be located on Paisley St and would have 12 dental chairs.
But State deputy secretary of budget and financial management Dean Yates told attendees at the Maribyrnong City Council budget breakfast that in organizing a budget, there was always more demand than supply.
“At some point, a line has to be drawn in the sand … I can’t comment why the government has made this particular call in this case.”
Representatives from the Federal and State governments and Maribyrnong City Council outlined their budgets for the upcoming year at the breakfast, which was held at Whitten Oval.
Mayor Sarah Carter admitted to being initially despondent at the release of the Federal and State budgets, and said the three tiers of government needed to work together to secure infrastructure for the West.
“Our city is changing rapidly, and more people are choosing to live and work here,” she said.
“It’s about having a co-ordinated approach to secure the investment we need.”
