Page 2074 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 25 October 1989
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That is according to Mr Ramsey. The article then mentions John Stone, a notorious conservative and a long-time associate of the National Party in Queensland and a National Party senator from Queensland who is their Senate leader. It says:
John Stone ... took the next step. "I've heard a lot of stuff about how the welfare lobby in this country is terribly upset about this package", Stone said the day after Peacock unveiled it. "Well, we're very sorry that the welfare lobby, which basically consists of people who make their money out of welfare schemes, is very upset".
It is not surprising that Mr Peacock keeps close company with Mr Stone when you see those sorts of statements, which demonstrate a very hollow understanding of welfare in Australia. The article continues later:
Andrew Peacock and John Stone had got the euphemisms right, the sales pitch down pat. What both were saying, they felt sure, was what most Australians want to hear these days.
In reality, Peacock and Stone - and John Hewson and Charles Blunt and the rest of the Coalition salesmen - were saying nothing less than Elliott.
I will come back to John Elliott's statement in a moment -
It was simply a matter of the delicacy of language.
Mr Elliott was reported on ABC radio's AM program, according to Mr Ramsey, as saying:
... the policy that the Liberal Party has come out with is a policy that's good for Australia.
And Mr Elliott went on to say:
I heard Hawke say that it's taking from the poor and giving to the rich.
But, according to Mr Ramsey, Mr Elliott's description of that was:
Absolute nonsense! It's taking from the bludgers and giving to the workers.
The Residents Rally might like to consider that when they consider the option of forming some sort of a collegiate gathering with the people from the Liberal Party, but I think it is important that we understand where the Liberal Party is coming from in relation to the poor people of Australia.
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