Column by federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2006
Column by federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd

By Kevin Rudd, federal Opposition Leader



Time to Stop the Blame Game.

In 12 months time we are going to face the most important election for Australia in a generation.

As the new leaders of the Labor Party, Julia Gillard and I present an alternative vision
for Australia's future.

We believe it is time to stop the blame game John Howard has created. It is time to
find the solutions for Australia's future, not pass the buck as Mr Howard has done for
10 long years.

Put simply, Australia has reached a fork in the road.

A fork in the road on the future of our workplace relations laws.

A fork in the road on the future of climate change.

A fork in the road on our economy where we now face tough decisions on how we broaden
our economic base for our nation's future.

Ever since Mr Howard got control of the Senate his policies have become more and more
extreme. His policies are no longer in the national interest.

Labor's alternative vision is to restore the balance. Australian families want a balance
between a strong economy and fairness for Australian working families. That is our goal.

We are about to embark on a 10 day listening tour of our great nation. Over that period
I will be outlining just how the differences between Labor and the conservatives will
be reflected in a different agenda for the nation.

Australians are sick and tired of short-term political expediency.

Labor's new agenda for Australia is based on making tough decisions for our long-term future.

This new agenda is about taking responsibility. I am a leader prepared to take accept
responsibility for the big issues. When I am prime minister the buck will stop with me.

There will no more blaming the state governments. I intend to work cooperatively with
the states and territories to solve critical issues in areas such as health, the environment
and industrial relations.

A Rudd Labor government will be prepared to make the hard decisions that make a difference
for the long term.

Decisions such as how we produce a sustainable climate for the future; how we invest
in the long-term prosperity of our economy by properly using the resources boom of today;
or how we best invest in our long-term national security to protect our own region.

The hallmark of Mr Howard's prime ministership is always that it is someone else's
fault, never his. That has got to stop.

We are going to hit the ground in the days ahead.

We are going to take our alternative vision for the country's future out to the people.

Over 10 days we hope to get to every capital city in the country and we intend to outline
our new agenda for the future.



ENDS

KEYWORD: RUDD COLUMN

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