PM worms out of tough questions

GIVEN the media focus on the federal Opposition, it would be easy for a foreign observer Googling Australian politics to believe Tony Abbott was Prime Minister, not Kevin Rudd.

Just where is the pressure on Mr Rudd to answer the tough questions? In the past week alone, the official number of house fires attributed to the Labor Government's lethal home insulation scheme rose to 120, and counting, but the current minister in charge of the program, former ACTU boss Greg Combet, did not have his feet put to the fire. The Government has committed to auditing 200,000 of the 1.1 million homes installed with insulation under its fiscal stimulus plan, but with four workers killed and numerous allegations of fraud and shoddy workmanship, not to mention the legitimate jobs lost when the scheme was suspended in February, where is the pressure from the press gallery? There is now plenty of evidence to demonstrate that Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard's school building program was comprehensively rorted by contractors who charged way over the odds for structures that were, in some cases, unnecessary and unwanted. Billions appear to have been wasted. Again, where is the pressure on the Government? Apart from the campaign run by The Australian newspaper, there has been no concerted effort to explore the federal Government's failure to manage this expensive stimulus package. Or the promise to build indigenous housing, or provide computers for school children, or manage the refugee program, for that matter. Accommodation at Christmas Island has been expanded repeatedly, even the temporary tents are now inadequate to meet the stream of boat people encouraged to risk their lives in leaky boats, which they are prepared to sabotage, because people smugglers know that the Rudd Government will ensure that Australian Navy personnel will risk their lives to provide safe passage for queue jumpers to register at Christmas Island. The people smugglers also know that they can promise their clients that the Rudd Government will grant permanent visas and full access to Australia's generous welfare benefits within weeks, with few questions asked. Even the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned that the Rudd Government's decision to permit dozens of Sri Lankans rescued from a foundering vessel and taken to Indonesia by the chartered Australian Customs vessel Oceanic Viking would encourage others to adopt similar tactics. But where are the questions to the Government on its failed refugee policy? Australia's population is growing at 2.1 per cent, nearly twice the rate of the global population, outstripping the rate of growth in such populous nations as Indonesia, India and the Philippines, but Mr Rudd says he doesn't have any official advice on the ideal future population figure for Australia? Why not? Doesn't he have a view or is he waiting for a cue sheet from his spin doctors to be prepared after sufficient focus groups have been tested with a variety of responses? Just how out of touch is he? During the phoney health debate last week, Mr Abbott was slammed for refusing to release his policy - even though it is not customary to produce policy until an election has been called - but Mr Rudd was not questioned about either his failure to deliver the comprehensive hospital policy he promised to present over a year ago or the failure of his own promised dental health scheme. He has, instead, wasted substantial funds on a scheme that makes no difference (Teen Dental), and exploited his Government's own failure to properly administer a rather good newly-established program (Dental Medicare) as an excuse to axe it. Dental professionals agree that despite appearances, Mr Rudd has failed to demonstrate responsible leadership in dental health. Mr Rudd has not introduced the Commonwealth Dental Health Program (CDHP) he promised in 2007, because, on taking office, he said it was contingent on axing the Dental Medicare program established by the Howard government when Mr Abbott was Health Minister. Figures from the Association for the Promotion of Oral Health indicate, however, that the total funding of the Rudd Government plan will amount to $14.63 per patient, to be spread across the nation's public dental services, a laughable amount. The debate was held in Canberra at the National Press Club before men and women who claim to be the public's watchdogs on the political process, yet where is the examination of Mr Rudd's bald statements about dental health? Why is his Government axing an established dental health service? Why has Health Minister Nicola Roxon not been pressed to explain why she is presiding over the diminution of dental health services? Why is Mr Abbott being grilled over his response to Mr Rudd's health plan when the state premiers and chief ministers cannot agree to it? Little wonder the worm loves Mr Rudd - worms are not noted for their intellect. The press gallery, however, likes to believe it has a vibrant and inquiring mind, despite a lack of evidence to support such a claim. Mr Rudd does not like tough questions, as he makes clear when Mr Abbott confronts him in the House, but it is not the job of those who have the opportunity to quiz him regularly to ensure they are liked. Over the past 2 1/2 years, Mr Rudd and his Government have achieved what many may have thought impossible, they have created a worse government than that led by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam nearly 40 years ago. Furthermore, they have managed to do so in less time. The public would be better served if it started thinking for itself and left the worms to their own devices.