Conservative Party leader Cory Bernardi has applauded Victoria's Liberal opposition for referring four senior public servants to the state's corruption watchdog after they signed off on the Andrews government's taxpayer-funded advertising campaign which accuses the federal government of cutting health and education funding.
The Australian reports, Premier Daniel Andrews visited the Royal Children's Hospital on Sunday to announce that he would be spending more than a million dollars of taxpayers' money on the "Our Fair Share" TV, radio, print and online campaign, running in the lead-up to the May 18 federal election, arguing it was his job to fight for funding for Victorian patients and students.
The federal Coalition hit back at Premier Andrews' claim that they had cut hospital funding by $305 million, arguing commonwealth funding for Victorian public hospitals has risen by 79.7 per cent since 2012-13.
Senator Bernardi has told Paul Murray Live on Sky News, using taxpayer money to fund election advertising is clearly beyond the pale.
