morning glory

Mark Latham's performance on Sunrise just now wasn't bad at all. Here were his key phrases (transcript up later):

do it the Australian way
work hard and have a chance in life
advancing a fair and better country
frontline services for the benefit of the people

He pledged:

- to improve health and education
- to keep the economy in surplus through lean and efficient government
-lots of new initiatives
- to use the fact that there would be both Federal and State Labor Governments to work together with the States
- not to increase the GST
- there'd be no change in negative gearing rules
- to reverse the Government's 25% increase in HECS
- to abolish full fee places
- to increase resources to universities

David Koch said he was obviously chasing the "family vote" and asked why we should "risk" electing an unknown quantity, someone whose experience in government at Liverpool Council amounted to a "chook raffle", when we've got a booming economy. Latham replied "it's not a time for complacency", saying there's still plenty of room for improvement. He mentioned that in some parts of Australia there's 30% youth unemployment, that mature age unemployment in some areas "would break your heart". He said we can't afford to "rest on our laurels".
The only other dig at the Prime Minister came when he said his government would stop all this 'buckpassing and blameshifting'.
Latham promised to release economicy policy within two weeks. (He should release it sooner; what've they been doing all this time? Isn't it ready?) He deflected the question about raising the top tax threshold by saying all would soon be revealed.
Have to say he looked very well. By the way, isn't Kerry Stokes' Sunrise outrating Kerry Packer's Today Show these days?