Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, to people who live overseas and who cannot spend it here. The government are also cutting the opportunities for young people. They are cutting opportunities with the youth allowance changes. They are making it much more difficult for people to pursue their education or to enjoy a gap year. Why is it that the government are happy to send money to people who do not even live in this country, but those who take a gap year and want to work in this country before they go to university are no longer worthy of receiving the government largess? My goodness, the government’s priorities are all wrong. Their priorities are all wrong, and they know it. I can see those on the other side skulking and squirming. Senator Sterle, you put on a brave face but we know you are not happy about disadvantaging country people.

The government are also spending millions of dollars to boost Mr Rudd’s ego by sending envoys around the world to try and obtain him a seat on the United Nations Security Council. He is obviously planning his departure—as are some others in the Labor Party, I might add. The Gillard forces are also planning Mr Rudd’s departure. The government are wasting millions of Australian dollars on fuelling one man’s ego so that he can travel around the world, complaining about meals, complaining that his hair dryer is not ready and talking about how he is the most important person.