Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I ask Senators on the Government side to go back to their parliamentary parties and lift out of it those who are making proposals of this nature. Certain facts need to be checked. There are arguments against the universal approach to the over 70s. I was prepared to listen to some of those arguments last week. However, I heard over the weekend that the Government is reconsidering the principle of universality in many other areas. It is just a step away from taking away the travel pass, the television licence or the telephone allowance.