The labels are shifting for once, and it is now action to see more from "we".

Where is the mirror if not directly reflecting eachway at ourselves.

Bugger the A-typical arguments on theory unless we apply it to community. Take serious the well written essays of people like Debra Orr, 'We despise the poor, but not the rich '.....

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/deborah-orr/deborah-orr-we-despise-the-poor-but-not-the-rich-1625820.html

And the 'for many Australians', world recycling ......?

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2008/s2497651.htm

It is our world, and it is up to us to get vision on what we endorsed through the Federal vote.

http://www.ndbroadcasting.org/program.php?id=3275

No government is the hero. Who are we if as it begins to action toward a progressive direction, we label the ground bothered, insisting we're heading for muskeg?

What does it take to be common about the obvious.

Worth more than the spin is the action delivered on the policy work by Health Minister Nicola Roxen knowing full well ... "there is capacity" if we utilise our workforce better. Because as she said, on "collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams", so midwives and obstetricians and GP's working together ....provides options for them to have care closer to home, which is [economically] very important....

Yet local professionals [and not the mothers] in community have aggressively opposed this kind of effort.... Why? In truth these kind of professionals divide us, until we stand up for the new-old common values we voted for rather than repeat the old-scripts or labels that were written to help advance us in a time of previous turbulence; war, poverty and human mental stagnation.

We need balance.

As Tim Costello inferred there is no better time than a good crisis.

Regarding the Liberals, Peter of the World Bank needs to use their study hall. We know he has a good chance to lead the Liberals - he is nowhere if his talent reproduces the clever but failed account policies of yesteryear for obvious reasons. Until the issues of real equity is addressed the Liberals practice no more than a overpassed Christmas carol.

As a party today, they are not even a credible opposition.

http://www.miacat.com/
.

miacat, I believe the Liberals are a very credible opposition. The Media however are incredible. Not one word about our personal "Sub prime" credit crash in Victoria and South Australia and the attendant loss of the State Banks.
The Media are focussing on Liberals who disagree with each other, so what? Last time I looked we were a free society and the Liberals are not in Government.
The Media just keep repeating the cliches they have used frequently over the years. Reporters too lazy to do anything but cut and paste what someone cleverer has previously written. It is a disgrace. Why not a reminder of the State Bank of Victoria story? Of course that could not be repeated as it does not help their Labour mates who reward them for their "Cur" like behaviour!

JBowyer,

"The Media just keep repeating the cliches they have used frequently over the years. Reporters too lazy to do anything but cut and paste what someone cleverer has previously written. It is a disgrace."

There are, and have been many, in the media who have written the truth in the past, or at least tried to. The trouble is, it doesn't sell. It's the average, apathetic Joe Bloggs that's responsible for this. Just to sheet the blame home to one party is only going to start a blame game. Everyone's responsible.

RobP, Blame game? start the Blame Game? What are you on about? The Victorian and South Australian Banks were lost by Labour administrations who allowed what has now happened to the large US Banks. Gee before we start thinking we know whats going on in the US/World let us start on what happened here in Australia.
Lets blame! Lets have a Witch Hunt! the perpetrators of all this nonsense are let off the hook as Labour was. It is the only way to discover, humiliate and punish otherwise it all happens again.
I say again the Media are a wanton Disgrace. In the last few months I have heard the Victorian State Bank referred to fleetingly a couple of times only. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it!

I find it imcredible that K.Rudd can use this 'opportunity' of a banking crisis to create a phantom menace in the form of 'neo-liberalism'.
I am flabbergasted that, as political leader of this country, he thought his essay was the most important thing he could do with his time.

The huge, cripplingly huge, tax bills that our small business must pay quarterly is proof in itself that we do not live in an extreme free-market environment, and indeed are most unlikely to within any of our lifetimes.

Small business people are a silent minority in this country, with views that are unpopular and pretty much unrepresented in parliament in any solid fashion.
Craig Emerson is a politician who springs to mind as somewhat aware of some issues facing small business.

Generally, politicians seem to see small business owners as the serfs that must carry the weight of their expensive, theory-based, popularist budgeting decisions.
The popular imagination, seized by feverish visions of exploitive business owners, erects huge barriers to small business.

The result is subdued entreprenerial spirit, limitations to entry, and higher costs that reduce the standards of living for us all.

'Neo-liberalism' is hardly the biggest problem our economy faces at this time. I am surprised - indeed, crushed - to see K.Rudd has got it so very wrong. He seems determined to turn basic economics on its head (and overturn previous public image stylings of himself) to score a short-term political point.

JBowyer,

"Lets blame! Lets have a Witch Hunt! the perpetrators of all this nonsense are let off the hook as Labour was. It is the only way to discover, humiliate and punish otherwise it all happens again."

No offence intended, but with who's army? The fundamental problem is that the majority don't give a damn.

"I say again the Media are a wanton Disgrace."

I pretty much agree, but put yourself in the position of one of the few remaining honest reporters who tries to tell the truth and happens to be out of step with either public opinion or his proprietor's interests. It won't be long before that reporter is given his marching orders. It's virtually impossible to make a difference. And if he is flatfooted or hedges his bets, there'll be an ambitious cub reporter who's all to willing to trump him. When you look at things from in amongst the weeds, you soon see how hard it is to change things.