This is the dodgiest government in the history of the Australian Federation, and this week we will see the last round of Estimates before the election. And I expect this round of Estimates to further reinforce that this is the dodgiest government in the history of federal governments.
Let’s not forget we had the sports rorts affair, where 73 per cent of the grants were not recommended by Sports Australia. That included giving $500,000 to Mosman rowers, for example. Let’s not forget the $150 million regional female changing facilities fund that spent $10 million on renovating North Sydney pool offensively. And let’s not forget the Safer Communities Program that uses the proceeds of crime to supposedly increase community safety, but this Government used it to bribe marginal seats with ineligible projects. This Government literally used blood money, this Government used blood money to bribe marginal electorates.
And we expect more of that to be revealed this week during Estimates, because there is no process that this Government won’t corrupt. There is no process this Government won’t adapt and modify for petty political advantage.
REPORTER: If the Government is so dodgy, why is two-party preferred support for Labor and unsatisfaction of Albanese down since the last polling?
CONROY: Well I’m not going to comment on polls, people will make up their decisions. But what I can say out there is that there is a huge anger at this Government. There is huge anger that this Government is distracted. They are too busy fighting themselves to care about governing the people. When I talk to people at street stalls, at markets, door knocking, and phone banking, what they say to me is they just want a Government to do its job. They don’t want a Prime Minister who is interested in making curries and playing ukuleles. They’re interested in a Prime Minister and Government that can do their job, do the basic things like get vaccines here on time, make sure there is sufficient rapid antigen tests, make sure this country is safe, and they’re being failed by this hopeless and fraudulent Government.
REPORTER: What did you make of the 60 Minutes interview last night?
CONROY: I didn’t actually see it to be honest. I was very happy watching something on another station. The truth is that this Government is intent on throwing dead cats on the table, they’re intent on distracting the Australian people in a vain effort that they can skirt through to the next election. But the truth is that the Australian people are fed up with this old, corrupt Government.