Rudd says that he understands that working families are finding it difficult to balance the family budget, but he needs to understand why; and perhaps he does, but he is still going to say that he can help them.

These people who are crying poor are over-borrowing and over-spending. Their priorities are all wrong. It used to be that families saw to essentials first and luxuries afterwards, if there was money left over. Now they want it all at once.

The people who could not make ends meet under the Howard Government are the same people who will not be able to make ends meet under the Rudd Government.

“…working families, or whatever they are next known as, are the crucial voters who will pronounce the government dead.” Of course; and not once will they even think that the problems they blame governments for are of their own making.

Nick me old china, I am stunned that a Ph.D in Australian labour history could post this. "Working families" and "working people" has been a rhetorical trope of the ACTU and broader trade union movement for over a decade. The REAL question you need to ask is "whatever happened to the working CLASS?" ;)

Mr Right or is it Mr Wrong?I am a working class person and i can tell you that i have no debt,no credit cards or hire purchase.I own my home and only have the normal cost of living expenses and am finding it increasinly difficult to make ends meet.For the average man in the street,those not earning 1 thousand a week,life has become very difficult.Prices going through the ceiling for everything and the wages not covering them anymore.Remember the average wage is worked out including all the people in the mining industry.If i own everything and am struggling,imagine what it's like for people paying rent.In my area even an old dump costs $300 a week.

In Sydney those paying $300 a week for real estate that has a market value of say $400K are paying less than half of what the mortgage payments would be, the poor devils. In addition, no maintenance costs, no need to pay for most damage caused whether or not it was done by drunken friends or poorly behaved children. Oh yes, if you are short money just don't pay for a few weeks until you catch up OR if you are really short just don't pay at all and then move into a freshly painted place with a mowed lawn.

Kevin O7s mantra of I have a plan(DREAM)has now been revealed to mean that he planned to phone a 1000 life lines who have the ability to think and communicate. Apparently, no one in his party has had the time or inclination to do any research over the last 10 years.

His concern for the "working families" has been revealed to mean that thousands of Centre Link workers will be made redundant. The most galling thing is that his action will only make the news for one or two days. If the Libs had done the same the mass media would have worried the issue to death and dragged it out for months.

Nick, I must confess a particular dislike for the term 'working families'. As you rightly asked WHO are these people? While I voted for the Rudd government as the better alternative I shuddered every time he used this broad and meaningless term. The term was used so many times it had a hypnotic effect causing one to fade out for a while until something of substance was actually offered.

It is pure spin designed to appeal to middle Australia, generally those with mortgages, children (childcare) and average-higher incomes generally with two parents working.

What about all the people who do not fall into this broad category? What about one-income families - is the stay-at home partner part of a working family? Or pensioners and carers who are doing it tough. Not much yet offerred by the Rudd government for this group who are not out there buying plasmas, but trying to put food on the table and pay their bills. Hardly an inflationary risk.

15 years ago only 1 member of a family needed to work to support a family. Now both parents need to be on a decent income to get by.
If we look at the countries economy as a sort of scaled up farm then it is obvious where the wealth has gone.
1) Massive profits in inappropriate organisations: Banks, Insurance, consultants.
2) Regressive policies make wealth easy for the wealthy: Negative gearing, un-means tested welfare, public funding of private schools, etc.
3) Middle man culture and inefficient organisations. Competition for "decision making" roles has blocked good organisational structure. Boys clubs and people parked at the level of their incompetance.
We are rewarding the wrong behaviour. We are ignoring the 10 tonne elephant in the room: Profiteering, cabals and anti-competitive behaviour.
When did the terms "regressive" "progressive" fall out of favour? This was the start of the cult of worshipping wealth and authority. We have been too regressive for too long now and it time to turn to progressive policies again. Stop *all* un-means tested welfare.
I suspect we will have to bear the full brunt of the Howard decade and witness USA wane in power before the concept of "balance" returns to economics.

"Working families" is a warm and fuzzy motherhood phrase that conjures up an image of dad in stable full time work and mum working part time during school hours so she is available for the school age children when they get home from school.

The reality of the Australian social landscape is a little bit different.

- a third of australians live alone
- a third of australian workers are underemployed
- a fifth of australian children are living with households where no adult works
- a fifth or is it a third of australian children are living in single parent households

A close inspection of the policies developed to support "working families" shows the discriminatory nature of policies that are applicaable to only a third of the voters.

However policies for "working families" are infinitely preferable to hidden subsidies to big end of town like Gunns - tax breaks & very cheap wood, ABC Learning - child care rebate, Manildra Group - ethanol