FED: Liberals warned against complacency

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2000
FED: Liberals warned against complacency

By James Grubel, Chief Political Correspondent

MELBOURNE, April 14 AAP - Liberal MPs were today put on notice to expect a major fight
at the next federal election.

Liberal federal president Shane Stone said the party could not be complacent in federal
government, as a hostile media would ensure that it had a major battle at the next poll.

In a clear swipe at the media's handling of the mandatory sentencing issue in the Northern
Territory and Western Australia, Mr Stone used his opening address at the federal convention
to remind the Liberal Party to remain in touch with the concerns of middle Australia.

"They (middle Australia) are not the ever critical broadsheets, elements within the
ABC and Canberra press gallery, that persist in lecturing and hectoring the Australian
public on what's best for them," he said.

"A lack of intellectual rigour, the tendency to gloss over inconvenient facts while
sensationalising the convenient, bring little credit to those media outlets that have
been consumed by their own obsessions."

Mr Stone said the media stance highlighted the fight the Liberals faced to retain power.

"We have a fight on our hands," he said.

"We Liberals cannot be complacent and relaxed in office. We can take nothing for granted.

"You never own political office. At best it's entrusted to you for a period of time.

"It falls to you with your own determination and commitment to make something of that
privileged opportunity."

Mr Stone, who drafted the NT's mandatory sentencing laws when he was the territory's
chief minister, earlier praised the deal between Prime Minister John Howard and NT Chief
Minister Denis Burke to ease the impact of the laws on young offenders.

He said mandatory sentencing was now off the agenda for the national conference.

"The issue has been resolved," he told ABC radio. "It is not on the agenda of the national
convention and we move forward now to consider other issues that are clearly of importance
to Australians."

However, a band of about 100 protesters voiced their objection to the laws as they
tried to storm the entrance to the convention at the Melbourne Convention centre.

Chanting the slogan: "We don't want your racist laws", the protesters also threw green
paint on the pavement outside the convention, and blocked traffic in the city centre for
about 15 minutes.

Inside the convention, Mr Howard set the social policy focus of the conference by reminding
delegates that the government had a limited strategic role in the community.

"We no longer believe that every solution can be provided by the government," Mr Howard said.

"We equally have rejected the rather naive notion that if you had an unrestrained market
approach to everything, that through some kind of miracle of trickle-down economics, every
problem would be solved.

"What you need is an appropriate recognition that the government has a limited but
strategic role in our community."

Mr Howard will focus his keynote address on Sunday on the government push for a social
coalition and stronger mutual obligation.

AAP jg/hu/ o

KEYWORD: LIBERALS NIGHTLEAD

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.