PRIM MUTAIAISTPARTIAL
TRANSCRIPT OF SPEECH DURING RECEIPT OF POSTCARDS
FROM CHILDREN INVOLVED IN THE BROTHERHOOD OF ST
LAURENCE'S NATIONAL PROMISE THE CHILDREN ACTION ON CHILD
POVERTY CAMPAIGN, MURAL HALL, PARLIAMENT HOUSE, 22 JUNE
1990
E 0 E PROOF ONLY
PM: Let me conclude on a more general point about the
motivation of politicians and the rationale of social
justice programs such as we're discussing today and I
want to be very direct in some of the things I'm about to
say. It's very easy, very easy indeed to adopt a
fashionable cynicism about politicians and to assume that
they will only do something if they are pushed into it.
That's an attitude which I see underlines these postcards
where you make the claim, that is the Brotherhood makes
the claim, and let me read it. I quote all politicians
will only do something about it if they feel they have to
at election time, for instance. Now, let me say to the
Brotherhood quite deliberately, that I think that's a
cheap shot. It may make you feel good to make a
statement like that, but without any beating around the
bush, let it be understood that that statement is a false
statement and an abundantly false statement. More
directly it's an un-Christian statement. There is no
foundation for it. I can tell you that speaking for
myself that's not my attitude to social justice and it's
not my attitude to what politics is about and I don't
often presume to speak for John Hewson or Senator
Macklin, but I know that it's not their attitude. It's a
cheap shot, it's an untrue statement, it's an un-
Christian statement. I think any closer analysis of the
new services we have delivered to disadvantaged
Australians would show that they haven't been based on a
judgement that there may be votes in them. Instead they
have been part of an overall strategy from day one of
change based on a fundamental analysis of who really is
in need in this community. Let me be quite specific.
The reason that we can afford to be spending in this
financial year, as we are, over $ 2 billion on kids in low
income families the only reason why we can afford to be
doing that and are doing it is on the basis that we
have decided to spend less money on those who are better
of f. And I remind you that that has meant taking
benefits away from people. It's meant levying new taxes
on those who hadn't been paying their fair share. In
other words, we've made some tough decisions. We've made
2
some very unpopular decisions decisions that cost us
votes at election time. I just ask you to recall the
virilent campaigns that were waged against us in the
media and I'm not talking about political opponents, I'm
not trying to make a political issue, I'm talking about
the campaigns that were waged in media and elsewhere.
But remember those virilent campaigns that were waged
against us on the assets test, the fringe benefits tax
and the capital gains tax. Those weren't politically
popular they cost us votes, they were on the basis of
believing that benefits were being paid to those who
didn't need them and we wanted the financial capacity to
pay more to those who needed more. We made those
decisions because we believe they were the right
decisions to make. I think at the end of the day you
would agree that it is a far better rationale for
decision making than any responsiveness to lobbying
campaign whether expressed for postcards or by any other
means. And so I hope I can stand and join with my
political colleagues here. We have our disagreements
about needs, we have disagreements on philosophy, but I
hope I speak for them in saying we reject the cheap shot
that all politicians, all politicians, will only do
something about it if they feel they have to, at election
time for instance. I can assure you in conclusion that
my Government has worked and will continue to work to
improve the circumstances of the disadvantaged in our
community. We know in the nature of things that neither
my Government, or if some day it's Dr Hewson's government
or someone else's government, we know that we will never
be able to do everything that everyone in the community
wants. But I can say to you that as far as this
Government is concerned we're proud to look at the record
and will continue to work to improve, as I say, the
circumstances of the disadvantaged in our community. But
obviously in these things and this is a truth reflected
in your concern, a government cannot do it singlehandedly.
The contribution made by the many community
organisations notable, may I say, among them the
Brotherhood of St Laurence and the Council for Social
Service, those contributions are crucial. I commend you
for the work that you've done, I commend you for your
concern and I wish you continued success in your work. I
hope that in future your observations about the
motivations of all politicians will be somewhat more
accurate. ends