Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to voice my disgust at the rank hypocrisy of the current government. Day after day in question time we listen to the government criticise state governments such as the LNP government in Queensland for making tough decisions to get their economy back on track. All while this government has wasted billions through its popcorn policies but is itself making massive cuts to cover its mistakes. It is making cuts to programs such as the Medicare Chronic Disease Dental Scheme; from November this year the chronically ill in Flynn will no longer have access to dental treatment through Medicare. It has ripped $25 billion from Defence since 2009. We see the results affecting every area of our defence forces, right down to cadet units in my electorate. Cadet units in Wondai, Biloela, Rosedale, Blackwater, Monto and Gladstone will now suffer because of these cuts. This government criticises the LNP for salvaging the Queensland economy whilst itself compromising the health of the chronically ill and the defence of our nation. The very fundamentals of our nation are at risk at the hands of the Gillard government. The people of Flynn and the rest of the nation deserve better than this hypocrisy.