Thank you Ken, lots of sensible suggestions for a modern compassionate and pragmatic government.

My only observation is you have missed the elephant in the room. Where is the vision and the values that we so desperately need as a nation. What about the ethics and honesty that are the hallmark of genuine leadership. In listing all these strategies you have provided a map without a compass.

Today we learn of the demise of another state minister, reportedly for using his work computer to access pornography. What sort of unbelievable public standards exist in this country when ministers of the state are regularly involved in such grubby and distasteful behaviour?

Well Ken, as an obvious 'labor supporter', no matter what, you conveniently forgot to mention the waste that has occurred by the current 'federal' labor government. State labor has simply increased the amount of smell.

As for us turning from Ag and manufacturing to services, two key issues.

1. How on earth can we compete, globally, with India , China and the likes who pay thier workers 'peanuts'?

2. What happens if the NBN is 'rolled out' but has a very low 'take up' rate due mainly to affordabillity? Remember, nobody knows how much it will cost to be connected. We are simply assumming there will be some 'wiz bang' plans out there.

Just remember, $20, $50 or even $99 per month is not a lot, but it's on top of what most people now pay and, along with increases in almost everything we use, it may well become unafordable. Then what!

The only way this country can prosper is to find a fairer, more efficient tax system and stop the hand outs and government waste.

As for the war, it is estimated that the US has spent in excess of one trillion US$ and achieved what!

The best alternative was always to employ mercinaries with a view to wipe out the bad guys. It would have been over long ago if they had of done this, but, as always, the 'do-gooders' get in the way because it is considered inhumaine.

This whole war is a hiding to nothing and there is no way we, or the US can win as these countries are ruled by religion and they simply live to hate.

Rectchub Which money was wasted, some money got into the hands of business people "fraudently" during the stimulous.
You can not blame the labor govt; for that.

I hope the right people read this, too many in labor appear tribalist rather than engagement prone and the factions will remain a problem, simply because this is a mentality that rests on unexamined preconceptions. The problems between sections of labor, eg Mar'n Ferguson and co and educated people, Greens etc, over the nature and uses of the environment and ecology in a post cornucopian world exhibit this insular and unconscious attitude.
Oh, that the conjunctions between "development", enviro and resources, planning and population issues could be dealt with more comprehensively and much earlier, rather than being suppressed to the point of having to rely on a layman like Dick Smith to finally get the suite of issues out in the open.
Howard preferred milking Hansonist fear and confusion derived of the information vaccuum and this meant many pre or misconceptions were reinforced, yet new labor has tended to reinforce Murdochist paradigms rather than question them, on environment and civil liberties and rights, when it suits them. in the wake, we now see how tragic the deafening silence from the politicians and tabloid media has been.
A better approach would have required a less dumbed down media and better planning and spending on education, two problems that came to maturity during the cranky Howard era with its neoMcCarthyism. The crux of it rests with an anti-intellectualism also deeply entrenched in sections of labor. One fears, further, that this is more about not offending developers than as any manifestation of the results of deep thinking or concern on underlying issues.

donkey, it is disappointing that minister's use govt supplied computer's to look at porn, however he has resigned. In QLD we have the Deputy Premier and Health Minister introduce a $100M payroll system that does not work. The people that devote their lives to looking after you and me and our families when we are ill over easter had to borrow money just to put some easter eggs on the table. it is still not fixed, employees are owed thousands of dollars. but the deputy premier will not do the decent thing and resign. in the scheme of things personal failings appear to be the only thing that will generate a resignation, maladministration does not even warrant a mention. the outrage over a minister surfing porn on a computer should be insignificant compared to the outrage over the pay bungle that has caused so much misery and stress.
quite frankly i would rather minister looking at porn compared to ministers stuffing up the lives of others.