Submission to State Budget Consultative Process 2002-03

One of the few areas open to the State Government to act direct to alleviate the poverty experienced by so many Tasmanians is through the State Concession system. Currently this system is inequitable and poorly targeted. Anglicare urges a review of this system and an extension of two essential concessions to the most financially disadvantaged Tasmanians  – the unemployed and “working poor” who are eligible for Health Care Cards. Anglicare also calls for increased expenditure on those students in the Tasmanian public education system who are eligible for Student Assistance to ensure that costs and charges are not acting as a barrier to their participation in school courses and activities. Finally, the crisis in dental health for low-income Tasmanian adults urgently needs addressing and Anglicare urges an injection of funds into the Tasmanian Dental Service.