Spot on, Poirot :)

I'll bet you never expected me to say that :)

Love,

Joe

its up
http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/video/watch/18701173/honest-shoppers-leave-money-behind/

ohand kevinis live till 7pm
on..reddit..taking on all comers

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1lbe0s/i_am_kevin_rudd_the_prime_minister_of_australia/

but i cant [dont want to]..figure reddit out

What is needed is some bi-partisanship. On the whole there's very little to choose between the two parties other than some differences in approach. There is no doubt that both have the best interests of the country at heart.

This nation has been in campaign mode since January and I for one will be very glad when the election is over and the real work of running the country can begin.

I'd like to see some changes made to both parties policies around refugees and some serious efforts made within our international partnerships to reduce the conflicts that produce the refugees. I've previously discussed the role of religion and that may well yet be the key. All of the world's religions claim to be primarily about peace, so let's get them involved in talking to each other instead of fighting over points of theology that are really just overlays.

Let's try to work out the genuinely intractable differences around control of resources that are at the heart of the disputes and reduce the refugees at the source. Let people travel for the experience and adventure, not because they have to leave home or face persecution and worse.

I think that Bob Katter's ideas about regional and interior development are interesting too and could be a nice fit with a more nuanced approach to the refugee problem.

On education I lean a little each way. The ALP model is good, but needs to provide good support to principals to allow well-informed decision-making without too much guesswork. The LNP model is typically cautious and I like the emphasis on teacher quality and values.

A less rushed approach to tertiary study would also be on mu wishlist. Give people time to properly fit their study into a framework rather than insist they simply learn facts without much context.

[cont]

What does all that have to do with being an Australian?

Well, it's about a fair go and mateship and letting people find their feet. It's about making people welcome and allowing them to participate in their own way. A friend who immigrated as a child said to me recently that he loved this country because it has no restrictions on what you can become, whereas his country limits what you can do based on who and what you know.

I reckon all our politicians need to keep that in mind.

Give people a fair chance and help when they need it and they'll do well. Reward exceptional qualities exceptionally well, but let people work out their own way of fitting into their skin, whatever colour or shape it is.

We're all human after all, even if some of us don't have the same natural advantages.