THE Australian Bureau of Statistics states that there are 100,000 homeless people in Australia. This is not only a tragic situation but a national disgrace to our country and its government.

This disgraceful neglect of its homeless citizens is exacerbated by the government’s spending of $3.8 billion promoting the manufacture and export of military hardware in an endeavour to be, according to Defence Minister Christopher Pyne, “one of the top arms exporters in the world”.

Further, $8.6 billion is being spent on 72 F-35 fighter bombers, costing $120 million each when we are not at war and our own Department of Defence in the last Defence White Paper stated that they see “no military threat to Australia in the foreseeable future”.

Is this the type of Australia we want to live in? A country preoccupied with military spending to meet non-existent threats of war and promotion of arms sales to countries like the Middle East already ravaged by war and boosting the profits of the weapons manufacturers?

Or, a country which cares for its people with a government spending to provide safe housing for the homeless and adequate health and pension services for its citizens?

You can convey your feelings by emailing Mr Pyne or the Prime Minister.

Bevan Ramsden, Lambton