So with Kevin promising a 'new way' under what I can only assume is going to be a 'new labor' , is this an admission that the old labor, under Kevin himself, then Julia, was a failure.

There is little doubt that the massive amount of debt the old,and old labor has racked up supports this, but, apart from one person (Kevin) taking over, and the tossing out of the worlds smartest man, what has changed.

More importanely, why has Kevin waited so long to propose the changes, because after all, he has always been a part of the labor party, as a minister from his axing back in 2010, then as a back bencher until the 11th hour.

So does his plan to go in a different direction mean he has sat on this plan, 'tight lipped', until he regained the top job. The old, it's my baby and you can't have it scenario.

Now if he has done this, then surely he only has self interest in mind, as it would mean that he KNOWINGLY saw a better way, but sat back and watched the waste continue.

Is this really the type of person we want to run our country, one of self interest who puts the party/countries interests last.

I think the polls are starting to show that many are starting to see through him, thinking, here we go again.

I said from day one that the longer he delayed the election, the less chance he would have of winning.

Thanks Kev, you been given enough rope, and you've used it well.

A leopard does not change its spots, that is Rudd we have seen what he says and what he does can be 2 different things, in my case it is simply a case of he can't be trusted.

Saying - The evil you know is better than the evil you don't know.

In this election that does not mean I trust Abbott but with 50,000 boat people and then wasting over $6 BILLION dollars on them I would rather try the other evil.

I agree rehctub; a bit of simple analysis shows that Rudd’s ‘new way’ is a complete load of cr*p!

What a pity, because we do so badly need a new way. And as I have said countless times on OLO; it is staring them in the face.

A sustainable Australia instead of a big Australia. And all that goes with it, as espoused by Bob Carr, Kelvin Thomson, Dick Smith and others.

I have to admit Ludwig, you are right about a sustainable Australia.

When yo look at us now, about 30% of our population is in the workforce.

Of these, about 58% pay the bills and pick up the slack, paying the way for both themselves and the remaining 15 million odd, as 42% of workers (income tax pagers) pay less in income tax than they receive in benefits.

So it is obvious that unless/until something is done to address the hand out brigade, increasing our population, by any means, will simply increase the financial burden on those 52 odd % , of the 30%, in other words about 16% of our population who are currently carrying the load, and presumably will continue to do so, as it would be fair to assume that some 84% of those increasing our population won't be contributing at a positive level.

Luddy you've got no chance of getting that up old mate. Particularly as you think labor.

Having stuffed the mining boom, Labor are now looking to domestic & commercial construction to keep the economy going & the real workforce, as distinct from public funded people, employed. Unless population growth is maintained there is no basis for construction.

No extra people, not much need for more housing or shopping centers, & with a sagging economy, industry won't be interested in spending.

Employment is going to be the big problem. The mines already developed will keep the foreign exchange coming in for quite some time, only slowly diminishing, unless the entire world economy collapses. It is the mine building, processing facilities & port construction that is grinding to a halt.

Those are the job rich part of the mining boom, & there is nothing to replace them in the near future.

So mate, while I agree every immigrant adds just a little more burden to all existing citizens, I reckon our chance of weaning government off population growth as an easy way of maintaining a compliant population is virtually nil.

Not really grinding to a halt yet, Hasbeen.

Among our many friends who are working up north, one, an electrician, is working on a huge project in the Pilbara near Tom Price...and he's got thirty odd other electricians under him.

My son-in-law is sizing up an offer to work on a similar project - he's a soil technician.