Instead of claiming credit for a diabetes subsidy that comes a year late, and will cover fewer people than promised, Greg Hunt should apologise to Australians with type 1 diabetes for the delay.

The addition of flash glucose monitoring to the National Diabetes Services Scheme comes a full year later than he promised.

This listing comes only after a massive community campaign by Australians with type one diabetes and the Oppostion, including the tabling of a petition of 214,000 signatures in Parliament.

Greg Hunt compounded his insult to Australians with type one diabetes by lying. He claimed to have never made the promise. But people with diabetes know his promise was clear:

as of the first of March2019the continuous glucose monitoring program will be expanded both in terms of the range of people but also in terms of the options for devices. The Flash glucose monitoring will now also be included alongside the Continuous Glucose Monitoring.

Thousands of Australians have been forced to continue a painful regimen of finger-prick testing for 12 months because of the Ministers broken promise.

Todays announcement also falls short of expectations that all Australians with type one diabetes would be eligible for this NDSS subsidy.

This was the basis on which the Department of Health assessed the flash monitor, and was confirmed by Greg Hunt:

People with [type 1 diabetes] must be able to monitor their glucose levels day and night Our Government also plans to add the new the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system to the scheme for these people with type 1 diabetes.

Instead, the new subsidy will be limited to just some groups.

While very welcome for these groups, thousands of Australians will still miss out on affordable access to the flash monitor.

Today Greg Hunt wants credit for a subsidy that comes a year late and will cover fewer people than promised. Instead, he should apologise for the delay.

Labor thanks all those who worked so hard for this outcome, including the petition organiser Chris Slingsby-Smith.

SUNDAY, 2FEBRUARY 2020