In a huge act of hypocrisy the National Party - who have been banging the decentralisationdrum all over the country for the last 6 months - have been caught out holdingtheir ownNational Conference in Canberrathis weekend.

This is a clear case of dont do what we do, but do what we say for the National Party Leader Barnaby Joyce who has spent at least $26 million in tax payer money moving the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) from Canberra to Armidale in his own electorate of New England.

Sadly for regional Australia the National Party didnt think it was worth spending their own money on a National Conference in a regional centrethis year.

Thisis particularly embarrassingfor Deputy Nationals Leader and Minister forRegionalDevelopment Senator Fiona Nash whohas ordered allPublic Service headsto reporton which functions and agencies in their Departments shouldbe decentralisedfrom Canberra.

MaybetheNational Party Leaders should have read their own memo.

Shortly, Federal Country Labor will be holding its own national forum - in Rockhampton - on the weekend of 7October.