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Sky News Australia 9 Jul 2026 40 here now

‘$500 to change a lightbulb’: ADF bureaucracy mercilessly mocked as tradies sit idle

Liberal Senator Jess Collins ridicules Defence bureaucracy after revealing military bases are paying hundreds of dollars for simple maintenance jobs despite qualified electricians, plumbers and carpen

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Back in the day tif you didn’t know how to change a light bulb or fluorescent tube the army would teach you. As a soldier we had to mow the lawns, edge the nature strips and paint rocks. In some instance it used as a punishment if you misbehaved.
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what annoys me more were the stupid answers she got on that panel of enquiry ... like no one actually knew ... no answer to how much it costs to change a lightbulb ... the correct answer would have been i will find out .
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Use health and safety as a cover and stupid does as stupid is.
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@myradtrust From YouTube ↗ 10 Jul 2026 11
Outsource anything to government and you get bureaucratic waste, neglect and rorts.
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When are we going to get rid of civilians doing military work. The defence force is supposed to be fully self sufficient.
Are these civilians going to pick up a weapon and fight on the front lines.
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If they contract their maintenance out - what about SECURITY issues? Crazy days. Labor are pathetic.
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Jesus, wish i got paid 500 bucks to change a light bulb.
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I'll do it for $20 + light bulbs
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That's nothing compared to how much money the federal government wastes. Seriously why do I have to pay taxes? Can't afford rent, the roads are owned by foreign countries, there's not enough police, hospitals or schools for the population anymore and they keep bringing in more.
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And this is why Australia is one of the heaviest taxed countries in the world. The government wastes billions every year.
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Absolutely crazy. Australia being sold down the river albo.
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When I was in the Army, we could not get toilet paper all year, but come one September, we had to find a place to store 140 cases of TP. This was due to use it or lose it, If we didn't spend all the money in our budget, we got that much less the next year in our budget, and the the fiscal year ended on 30 September.
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@BBVee-k2y From YouTube ↗ 10 Jul 2026 14
If the cost to change a light bulb is $500, who is the supplier, distributor & manufacturer that benefits from this rort.
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Imagine if 50% of your tax dollars are going to fraud.
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@hobo1704 From YouTube ↗ 10 Jul 2026 27
If the public knew how much money is wasted in the military..
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@nmon9402 From YouTube ↗ 10 Jul 2026 59
Stop all government spending naudit all government department
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I worked for a company that designed and manufactured electronic equipment for the military, and can confirm that the prices were insane. And the markup on existing equipment was outrageous.
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That shows how useless government is .
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@Scorpv63 From YouTube ↗ 10 Jul 2026 70
It's not just the Defence Force. I worked in different Health Departments for over 40 years. The waste in every government department is criminal. People would be shocked.
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@mackaylady From YouTube ↗ 10 Jul 2026 114
No wonder this country is going broke , sacked these public servants and pollie in charge of this rubbish