Hasbeen, I suspect you haven't listened to Gillard too closely, either. She did not say she will not cut immigration.

She said: "This is not about bringing down the shutters in immigration. It is a debate about planning affected by many factors: water supply, open space, infrastructure, ensuring the appropriate tax base to support our ageing population, the need for skills and the need to preserve a good quality life."

What that means is anyone's guess. It certainly indicates that she is not closing the doors, but it is not an assertion that she will not cut immigration. Certainly, it bears traces of one of the most intelligent things I have heard about immigration in a long time: that immigration must be carefully controlled to support our existing population's needs, as well as those of our physical environs.

I never thought I would attribute "intelligent" words or ideas to Julia Gillard. Life is full of surprises.

Otokonoko, "Certainly, it bears traces of one of the most intelligent things I have heard about immigration in a long time: that immigration must be carefully controlled to support our existing population's needs, as well as those of our physical environs."

That bears repeating and I was also pleasantly surprised to hear what PM Gillard had to say. That she went ahead immediately to give force to her words by re-naming the minister's portfolio is unusual for politicians. Good for her that she did it. Good for her too that she has already given pithy riding instructions for him in her media interview.

I just wanted to say something about immigration. We did another poll for the LGAQ on population growth in Queensland and I should be able to write about it shortly when they release their report. However, Julia is saying exactly what the research says she should say. Whether it is good policy is another matter. Which is about all I can say until the end of the week.

Tony is doing an excellent job himself now that Kev isnt around to help him.
A bit of advice to Tony. Take the matchbox cover SERIOUSLY<Tony. Leave redheads alone or you'll get burnt.
You're already going up in flames. You're up everyone's nose as it is.

socratease

Hasbeen is right, Rudd for not being Howard, Gillard for not being Rudd....

The pursuit of negatives is the common path trod by the envy based politics of the left.

The sooner the floaters realise under which government were they better off, the one with stable policies, fewer illegal migrants, a sense of future and less waste on empty and over priced school halls(courtesy of Gillard) , abandoned insulation schemes (courtesy Garrett) and additional Taxes (courtesy Rudd), the sooner the floaters will turn right and we might be able to salvage something from the socialist mess.

Of course Julia will have a honeymoon but how long will depend on how well she can fake it.

The most significant female Prime Minister of any nation remains Margaret Thatcher and I do not see the strength of character in Julia which Margaret brought to the job but Julia is of the left and Margaret was inherently “right”.

Cornflower, I will be delighted if you are right, however adding a word to the name of a portfolio is exactly the action I am talking about.

I think there is more than a little chance that we will find that is the sum total of her action on population.

We can hope she does not have the Rudd disease of thinking all you have to do is utter a few cheep words, & all will be well. I, for one, await some evidence that she is not so infected.

However, with all the talk of a "quickie" election, I see a plan to lock us into a 3 year term while the chance is there, before we know anything about future plans, then do what ever they damn well please.