Clare O'Neil (Hotham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Like many Australians, I am shocked at the government's utterly mad decision to spend $122 million on a non-compulsory, non-binding, potentially illegal, postal opinion poll about marriage equality rather than letting us parliamentarians do what we were elected to do, and that is vote on this issue. Last night I threw the question to my Facebook followers and asked them, 'What would you rather see done with $122 million?' and, wow, my post was filled with funding suggestions that put the coalition policy team to shame.

Lyn Kemp would use the money for rehabilitation centres for young people with disabilities so they don't have to live in nursing homes. Danielle Pope wants more funding for breakfast programs and dental health for schoolkids. Karen Matthews wants to employ more people at Centrelink so that it doesn't take months for an aged pension to be processed. Catherine Haslock wants the money spent on domestic violence supports. Gayle Grapentin, Deborah Clarke and Jenny Cuthbertson want more homes for the homeless, and Jenny's 14-year-old wants to see the National Broadband Network improved. Paul Cochrane suggested spending $60 million on research funding for breast and prostrate cancers, with the remaining $62 million donated to the Liberal Party to help develop proper policies because, clearly, they have none.

I want to remind the House that $122 million could fund 1,906 teachers, 2.75 million bulk-billed GP visits and the 1800RESPECT domestic violence hotline service for the next decade. All this proves once again my Facebook followers would make better national leaders— (Time expired)