Typical pathetic Labor drunken sailor approach to spending money.  They act like a bunch of idiots 

Even worse are these flood/cyclone handouts. 

Anyone who lost electricity for more than 48hrs in the floods/cyclone is automatically eligible to a $1000 handout (that's each, and kids get $400 each - not just per household).  I know here in Cairns millions of dollars have been handed out to people who lost power but had generators so didn't suffer at all.  Well, maybe $10 worth of petrol and 50c worth of earplugs.

And before anyone says "well the money will be put into the local economy" I've personally spoken to several people who are saving the money for an overseas family holiday and buying expensive items from overseas via ebay. 

How about keeping the handouts for the people who really need it - trouble is the government is too incompetent to assess who those people are. 

You can really appreciate where Kerry Packer was coming from when he said   ".... if anybody in this country doesn't minimise their tax, they want their heads read, because as a government, I can tell you you're not spending it that well that we should be donating extra!"
 

end rant.

Thats the point.  They want money for the local economy, they make shirts 10 000 shirts to market the idea of buy local but got them made overseas..

Epic fail.

welcome to goverment stupidity!!! where they often pay double the going rate for things and then ask why!

School projects are a good example of money wasted, with some contractors making hundreds of % profit and cream to roll in for years by over pricing stuff.

I will always by local if I can, but local must be competitave and with in the price margin of sanity!

as  my mate ( who is on here...   ) said the other day, when a contractor arrives in an X5 BMW 4x4 and his traddie in a brand new 200 series Landcruiser, then you know your ring with be stretched when the bill comes !!! ( oh that was an electrician and a plumber) to refit his air-con system!!!

ps I paid $40 for a T-shirt in Brissie for my son two weeks back, said "made in Australia" and was printed in the shop! YES $40 for a kids print T-shirt!!!  WTF was the thread made of gold???? I saw it in the T-shirt print shop and said ok before I saw the price!!!! that will teach me next time to first...lol

Then again the owner of the shop was pretty much dressed in very expensive designer gear that I assume was bought by her very profitable shop!