Julie you state "However the White Paper was a disappointment because there is a yawning chasm between the espoused aspirations and the policy and funding framework necessary to achieve them."

I believe a more rational statement should have been:

However the White Paper is a disappointment because there is a yawning chasm between the espoused aspiration and the wrong assumptions this paper outlines in its majority.

There is no Asian Century; there won't be an Asian Century. We may have a little bit more time whereby China and other Asian nations desire to purchase our resources, geological good fortune on our part and luck in terms of distance to markets for both, nothing more, nothing less.

The entire premise of this paper is flawed; the logic behind its development and assumptions made relating to its usefulness in a rapidly changing world will clearly see it on the shelf gathering dust, just like the Defence White Paper you mentioned.

Australia needs to focus on emergent technology, value add where we can, structure education with a focus on innovation, not languages and so much more.

The Asian Century, like the White Paper itself is so irrelevant that it just astounds me.

I Agree with Geoff of Perth.The conventional logic is that we should ride on the coat tails of an Asian boom.Why do we not invest in education and take the burden of Govt regulation off those who want to achieve? Why does not our RBA create at least some of the money to equal our increases in productivity + inflation? Our total national debt is now 85% of GDP.We borrow from private OS banks who create from nothing all the money for our growth.We are their debt slaves.

There is no real difference between the two major parties.It is a matter tweedle dee and tweedle dumber.

tweedle dee and tweedle dumber.
Arjay,
The only way to get away from this sad scenario is to let Immigrants from a non-religous background into politics here.

Individual, I don't see religion as being the determining factor.It is a philosphy of letting the individual excel and achieve.The Liberals have lost this basic tenent and have become subserviant to Global fascist forces just like Labor.

The Liberals have lost this basic tenent and have become subserviant to Global fascist forces just like Labor.
Arjay,
Although I'm not thinking you being wrong as such in my opinion I do tend to believe that it is entirely due to Labor that the thinking people of this country have reduced in numbers. As education has always been & will be for a long time yet extremely Labor top-heavy, up-coming bright young people will continue to run the gauntlet of socialist brain washing education. This will for some time yet be the brakes holding back economic & social progress . The present system of using our schools to brainwash rather than to educate will stifle developing a sober mentality & is merely progressive regress.