Senator Meg Lees. Australian Democrats Parliamentary Leader.20 September 1998. M  MEDIA RELEASE. EMBARGO 1.80pm TODAY. Check Against Delivery.  Campaign launch speech.  (Please note additions incorporated into to the speech in response to the announcements from the Liberal Party Launch earlier this morning. This speech supersedes the version, of this speech faxed to you this morning.)  Looking around us here today, I don't think you could find a more symbolically Australian place to launch an election campaign: standing within the Opera House on Bennelong Point, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background.  Symbolic because we have our own team of stars within the Opera HOUSE - people such as:  • Aden Ridgeway from New South Wales.  • Jim Downey from Victoria.  • Brian Greig from Western Australia.  • John Schumann from the Adelaide Hills seat of Mayo.  • Rick Farley from the ACT and the many other candidates here today.  Symbolic also, because our Party is about is building bridges. The Democrats want to build a bridge between the First Australians and the rest of us.  The Democrats want to build a bridge between rural Australians and the rest of us.  The Democrats want all Australians to embrace the values of honesty, tolerance and compassion so as to build a bridge into a new century, together.  Sadly, there are candidates in this campaign who do not want to bring Australians together.  They are the candidates for One Nation: candidates who stand for division, candidates who stand for intolerance, candidates who want Australia to look backwards - not forwards.  What they believe is dangerous to our society, and I am proud that, in this campaign, we are tackling them head on.  By election day, I am sure that everyone will understand that.  In both Houses there is a battle for balance of power between the Democrats and One Nation, and in both Houses we intend to win.  A vote for the Democrats is not just a vote against One Nation. It is also an endorsement of the values and policies we stand for.  Since the Democrats were formed 21 years ago, there has been a revolution in Australian society -with increasingly complex issues affecting our daily lives. Issues such as the floating of the dollar, deregulation, out-sourcing, privatisation, increasing pollution levels, competition policy and even the recession we had to have. The Australian Democrats have been active, principled contributors to debates on these and many other complex issues over the years.  We are not economic luddites. We do not have our heads in the sand, nor do we want to turn back to the '50s.  We have made solid contributions to the debates on these and many other big issues based on research, dialogue and common-sense. And throughout we have consistently asked the question - how do these issues affect ordinary Australians?  Public policy issues are becoming increasingly complex in the world around us - but within these issues the Australian Democrats are still proud to carry a torch for some simple, enduring beliefs.  We believe that every child has a right to a quality, free education.  We believe that the environment should be conserved and protected for future generations.  We believe in both the dignity of work, and equally, in the dignity of those who are unable to work.  We believe that when sick, Australians have a right to expect quality, free health care.  We believe that Government have a place running some service, such as Telstra, which benefit all Australians, and we believe that governments should be held to account, and responsible to their citizens.  These are the policies that Australia has to have.  For the Coalition and Labor parties, this election is about Just one issue. Sadly this one issue is not health, not education, not the environment, not accountability or jobs.  They are running as single issue parties in this campaign. And the issue is tax: whose tax cuts are biggest, whose sales tax scheme is meanest, whose tax slogans can lead to power.  We are also active in this issue - proud to line up with welfare, church and environment groups as together we push for a real and meaningful debate.  Central to this is the question that the Howard/Costello and Beazley/Evans teams dare not ask - How much tax do we need to fond the policies that Australia has to have?  Well we are not afraid to ask. We believe - as Oliver Wendell Holmes put it - that Taxes are what we pay for a civilised society".  We know that the current surplus is built on the back of service cuts to the unemployed, the elderly and low income earners. These are the people who took the pain, for little or no gain and now deserve a restoration of some services through a social dividend.  Though we are hoping to win seats in the House of Representatives, the Democrats accept that we will not be in Government on Saturday week. But, if Australians reject One Nation, we will hold the balance of power - and our votes will decide this issue for either Government.  We believe that the current tax System is broken, and does need fixing.  However, the Costello plan is unfair, the Evans plans does nothing for jobs, and both plans are unfordable.  Other groups also believe this, and I would like to mention just three of the many public statements of support for our position.  Here is what ACOSS said about our Tax Response - 'By putting forward their proposed amendments the Democrats have brought a much needed element of common sense and compromise into the tax debate'.  The Australian Pensioners' and Superannuants Federation said of us; The Democrats challenge to the major parties to substantially amend their fax plans to make sure they are both fair and sustainable into the future is a breath of fresh air in a debate about tax that was getting s bit stale'.  Finally, the Australian Catholic Health Care Association said they were 'pleased to see the Democrats' recognition of the potential negative impacts on the charitable sector's services of both major parties' tax proposals. '  Today the Liberals and the Democrats are both launching our campaigns in Sydney, and we woke to see in the newspapers that Peter Costello is determined to force another election if we refuse to let him fax food.  Well, I think the voters want all parties to do what the Democrats are happy to do. Sit down together and talk, to get agreement on tax reform for this country which is fair, jobs friendly and affordable and get on with it. And the voters know that a tax on food and books is unfair.  If Peter Costollo is determined to ignore the voters, then he would do well to remember this; - the last Treasurer to force a double-dissolution election for the right to tax books, and many other things was John Howard in, 1983.  And he lost. All Democrat Senators and lead candidates have given an absolute guarantee that there will be no new taxes on food or boots, and that tax breaks which disproportionately reward the already well off are just not on.  There are also a range of other vitally important issues in both plans that we will push hard for at the negotiating table - and if they don't negotiate then we will simply vote their plans down.  We did not back down on Wik, we did not back down on Telstra, and we won't back down on Tax.  The Democrats have entered this campaign with a wide range of specific policy proposals. For instance:  • We propose the establishment of a Small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme to reduce the risk premium on small business loans.  • We propose a reduction in payroll fax for employers prepared to create new, permanent jobs.  • We will work actively towards a referendum to include the concept of environment into the Australian Constitution.  • We will move to strengthen the Trades Practises Act to give the ACCC the power to order big corporations with excessive market power to divest parts of their business.  • We will move to bring politicians superannuation into line with general community standards.  • We reject the callous two-year waiting period for new migrants.  . We propose a three year strategy to provide basic dental health care to low income earners.  In the week ahead we will be releasing our key election policies - in 5 cities over 5 days including employment, education, privatisation and health. So stay tuned. This election is about choice.  On October 3rd, you will have to choose between candidates in both houses - the House of Representatives and the Senate.  For the first time, there are Democrat candidates in every seat in every state and territory - who you can support.  Neither the liberal or Labor Party can hope to control the Senate, so someone will hold the balance of power.  Only two parties can do this outright - the Democrats or One Nation. Here in New South Wales that means Aden Ridgeway or David Oldfield.  This is not just a choice between personalities, but also between policies and values.  It is a choice between tolerance and intolerance, between reconciliation and confrontation, between gun control and gun culture.  It is a battle which for Australia's sake, the Democrats cannot afford to lose. I urge you to vote Democrat in both houses to stop One Nation dividing Australia.  Soon, we will all leave here, and get onto buses and planes and go back to our daily lives. Before we do, I ask you - in this magnificent place - to reflect a little.  The Opera House and the Democrats are roughly the same age. The design and construction of both in the late seventies, was innovative and daring, and I know that Australia is much better off for having both.  It is hard to imagine Australia now without the Opera House. It is also hard to imagine Australia without the Democrats for we have crafted an unique, enduring, positive role in parliament.  So in this spot, on this day, and on the eve of a new Australian century - I ask voters to re-commit themselves to working together as a nation. To embrace a new spirit of community based on honesty, tolerance and compassion. To choose a future in which Australians can expect to feel safe, valued and have an equal chance to realise their dreams. This is the Australia we have to have.  And we can, if you vote for it.