The following quotes are just a few ideas from Abbott and Rinehart:

“TONY Abbott has proposed banning the dole for people under 30 in a bid to entice the unemployed to head west and fill massive skill shortages in the booming resources sector.” The Australian, April 21, 2010

“Mr Abbott advocated all welfare-dependent families with children should have half their income held back for food and essentials.” The Sydney Morning Herald February 24, 2010

‘I was in Canberra last week and had the opportunity to ask Opposition Leader Tony Abbott whether a government under his direction would continue with the Rudd government’s goal of halving homelessness by 2020. His answer was no. In justifying his stance, Abbott quoted from the Gospel of Matthew: ”The poor will always be with us,” he said, and referred to the fact there is little a government can do for people who choose to be homeless.’ National Times, February 16th 2010

“Mrs Rinehart also suggests the government should lower the minimum wage of $606.40 per week and cut taxes to stimulate employment.” The Australian, August 30th, 2012

But when Swan criticises Rinehart, Forrest and Palmer over their opposition to the mining tax, that’s class warfare. When it’s suggested that maybe schools who have better performance facilities than the Melbourne Arts Centre may receive less funding in the future, that’s class warfare. When it’s suggested that people earning more than $150,000 a year should be means-tested for any welfare payments, that’s class warfare, because people on that sort of income are “struggling”, but anyone on the minimum wage doesn’t need a rise because they’re already being paid too much.

We don’t need class warfare rhetoric. What we need is a little consistency.