Pericles,

Unfortunately you chose the wrong man. I have been the project director of projects of several hundred million, and have far more experience than you. Of course I can only talk of private sector work. While it can take years for projects to get the go ahead, but once this happens, it seldom takes more than a month or two for implementation to begin on the ground, and 6 months before implementation is fully under way is stretching it.

This policy, is essentially extending medicare to dental treatment for "approved persons", and implementing people to review people against these criteria. This utilizes existing dentists, and structures for review similar to the CDDS, and would supposedly extend bulk billing to these medical professionals too.

If the policy and criteria have already been set, then Pericles, what on earth takes 2 years to START implementing.

My opinion, is this is the classic bait and switch tactic. This promise of a dental nirvana in mid 2014 is meant to deflect attention from the money grab that leaves vulnerable people with no dental care whatsoever from 2012.

Got hold of yourself , while there is a waiting list of two years, no one will be missing out. Till 2014 to clear the backlog.
This project is 4 billion, so it's best to get it right.
You lot are continually looking for holes to fill with excrement. That is what this term of noalition is all about. No policies, No idea, No hope.

SM,

Of course you haven't mentioned the fact that we've been playing catch-up ever since the Howard government abolished the Commonwealth Dental Health Program in 1996....which severely impacted dental health in this country.

But of course you have, Shadow Minister.

>>I have been the project director of projects of several hundred million...<<

Once again you ignore the invitation to examine two projects that are in the public eye, but instead expect us to recognize your own, unsubstantiated, status as the-one-who-knows-all.

And just by the way, you have no way of knowing this to be true:

>>...and have far more experience than you.<<

Nevertheless, you insist on continuing with your wild generalizations, as if all projects have identical characteristics:

>>While it can take years for projects to get the go ahead, but once this happens, it seldom takes more than a month or two for implementation to begin on the ground, and 6 months before implementation is fully under way is stretching it<<

So why is it taking Jetstar eighteen months to get mere three short-haul routes up and running? Given also that a) Jetstar has been established in the region since 2004 and b) China Eastern is China's second largest carrier with over three hundred aircraft.

Or to paraphrase you, "if the joint venture and operational parameters have already been set, then Shadow Minister, what on earth takes 2 years to get three measly planes in the air?"

Be honest with yourself. You're just stirring, as usual.

Pericles,

I see you just focus on the one issue and forget the other inconvenient ones. Firstly, why cancel the CDDS when while it may have flaws, it clearly benefits many needy families.

Secondly, considering your comparison of Jetstar's new routes and gov health which are so different, I have no reason to believe you have any proj management capabilities.

For example Jetstar's rollout is defined by regulation. Planes, pilots and ground crew can be in place in 6 months, getting approvals takes longer.

As I mentioned before, nearly all the infrastructure is in place for the new dental scheme, perhaps you could prove yourself by pointing out what would push out the implementation by 2 years.

Several political commentators think this is a cynical cash grab, and so do I.

579,
You may (or may not be) surprised to learn that the number of Public Servants grew at 3 times the annual rate under Howard than it has under the ALP, even despite the outsourcing of various groups to the private sector plus the sale of various government enterprises.

The chances are that most of the people Abbott will sack will be the same ones he hired when in he was government.