I concur with Leigh on the fact that the laptop promise doesn't appear to have sufficient backing to make it work. In fact, the entire 'education revolution' doesn't really have the resources to back significant change, given that the modest investment we're putting forward still places us behind more than a dozen other nations in terms of per cent of GDP invested in education.

If, on the other hand, instead of giving tax cuts worth $34 billion, which are sure to fuel interest rate rises, they had spent that money on education, well then we might actually be walking the walk instead of talking the talk.

Grn, I take it then, you'll be giving up any pension and living in a shoebox? Or if you already are, I take it you'd refuse any option of extra money?
By your logic, nobody who has actually had the drive, ambition or intelligence to get ahead and amass some kind of wealth or pension can actually comment on any problem in society unless they're willing to reduce themselves to a pauper.

It's a shame the democrats are on the verge of extinction. Oh, for another Don Chipp.

"If, on the other hand, instead of giving tax cuts worth $34 billion, which are sure to fuel interest rate rises, they had spent that money on education, well then we might actually be walking the walk instead of talking the talk"

Everything is a trade-off. If you don't give the tax cuts, middle income earners, in particular, will miss out on tax relief that is well and truly due to them. The immediate question is: who deserves the largesse more? Middle income earners or the learners? Or can they both be looked after over a period of time with a bit of compromise all round? I suspect the latter is where the world is heading.

The $34 billion in tax cuts is a hoax and all of you would know that if you bothered to read the damn policy. Next year some money will be returned through bracket creep, then the next year a bit more and the next year. The next two years were "maybes".

With Rudd the tax cuts for next year were rammed through the parliament before it rose, then there is a change in the rates over the next two years and the following three years are maybes.

The tax take per annum is $250 + and rising, the tax cuts are $6 billion so it is like whining about spending $6 dollars when you have $250 in your pocket. You wouldn't know it to hear the stupid remarks made but the taxes are already spent and the money "thrown" around are merely the suplus taxes.

And while I have always appreciated the Democrats and even worked for a Democrat senator they were elected in record numbers in 1998 to stop the bloody GST and gave us the damn thing instead. Which is why they are now extinct.

Labor was elected in spite of the me-too-isms and whether or not laptops are the toolboxes of the 21st century.

Because they gave the electorate some expectation they could do better than the vandals who sullied Australia's reputation of the Fair-Go Country.

Because we were embarrassed by Howard's subservience to the USA and once more dragging us into a war of aggression against Iraq under false pretences and lies as they dragged us into Vietnam.

Because of Our Government's inability to establish a relationship with our neighbours based on respect for human rights whilst turning a blind eye to brutal repression of Acehenese and West Papuans,
and cheating the East Timorese of their resources.

Because Howard's Government failed to support an Australian Citizen incarcerated in Guantanamo without charges being laid but eventually did a deal for his repatriation to Australia before the election.

Because they sold Australia out with the so-called Free Trade Agreement that inundated us with B grade American programs at the expense of our own film industry

Because they went too far with their whittling away of Workers hard won working conditions.

Because of the state of our Country's Health & Education Systems which were deliberately debilitated in the interests of 'privatisation' and after eleven years of neglect instigated an invasion against Aboriginal remote Communities in an attempt to gain electoral support.

The list is longer but I hope you get my drift as there are limitations in length of comments.

As for the Democrats,despite your efforts to amend some of Howards excesses, the opportunist deal Meg Lees did with Howard to get through the GST illustrated that you could not be trusted .

whilst you are in the wilderness like the rest of us non-politicians, You will have to wait and see if Rudd comes through with his aspirations and if he doesn't remind him of his promises.

Traditionally,Labor are a high taxing Govt.If they get two or three terms ,they will increase the GST.Bracket creep should be automatically indexed to stop this insane increases of tax due to inflation.

Signing Kyoto was purely symbolic.It should also include a penality for unabated pop growth since Kyoto just encourages pop increases.Their ratio of carbon used per head of pop will always be low.Only 400 million of China's pop are involved on their present economic expansion.There is another 900 million waiting to enjoy this new prosperity.They have no intention of cutting back even if we all live in abject poverty.The same applies to India.

If the doom sayers are correct,then it already too late.I'm with Bob Carter.The temperature variations are still within the normal temp variations over thousands of yrs,so remain sceptical.

"The $34 billion in tax cuts is a hoax and all of you would know that if you bothered to read the damn policy. Next year some money will be returned through bracket creep, then the next year a bit more and the next year. The next two years were "maybes"."

So what's your point? That tax rates and thresholds should be indexed to inflation? I reckon that would be a good idea too. (Ironically, so do the big business lobbies.) But, for Mr and Mrs Average with a mortgage, a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush. They take whatever they can get.

As for the GST, the fungibility of money - which is just a fancy way of saying that all sources of revenue go into the Treasury pot - means that money that is gained by Government from the GST should allow a reduction in other sources of tax like income tax. If you like, the raising of the GST should fund a permanent reduction in income tax.

If what you're really saying is that Government is actually squirreling away money for its own political interests or for its supporters etc, without giving it back to society, then you've got a fair point. This is leakage that should be staunched.