Health department officials have clumsily attempted a not-so-subtle rewording of Labor's pre-election commitment to expand Australia's newborn bloodspot screening programs.
In April last year, just weeks before the federal election, Mark Butler joined Labor leader Anthony Albanese and the Premier of Western Australia, Mark McGowan, in announcing the commitment to expand the number of conditions included in state and territory newborn screening programs.
"Labor will invest $38.4 million to deliver a world’s best practice screening program for all of Australia, increasing the number of conditions screened to 80. Our approach is in line with world’s best practice," said Mr Butler in a media release. Labor's official election policy document costed policy implementation from 1 July 2023.
In a subsequent statement, Mr Butler called on the Coalition to match Labor's commitment.
"The Morrison Government should immediately come to the table and match this policy, increasing the number of conditions tested from around 25 to 80.
"They have had a decade to bring the states together and make this a reality but have put it in the 'too hard' basket," he said.
Mr Butler recently confirmed that the policy would be implemented through advice from the Medical Services Advisory Committee, with states and territories retaining ultimate responsibility for decisions on whether to add conditions to their programs.
It effectively represents a 'status quo' arrangement.
In response to questions at Budget Estimates late last week, health department officials did not commit to implementing Labor's election commitment. They did attempt to redefine the commitment.
"Yeah, so I think it's important to say that we are committed to considering the 80...We will absolutely have a look at all of the ones that are on that list," said one senior official.
Shadow health minister Senator Anne Ruston pointed to the inconsistency with Labor's election commitment.
"My question is that the point is that there was a commitment made during the election that we were going to expand it, no child, no lottery in relation to this particular issue.
"There was a commitment to moving from 25 to 80. As we're sitting here now, by the third quarter of this year, we're looking at 30. So that's 50 of the conditions that were promised are still nowhere in sight.
"So I just would be really, I mean, your best guess given you're the expert in this field, how long is it going to take the government in its negotiations with all the jurisdictions that it has to talk to across the board, how long is it going to take it to actually get to 80 screenings conditions?" asked Senator Ruston.
"So we would be hopeful, Senator, that we can consider those 80 in a reasonable timeframe," responded the official.
