2020

Sir, 
First I would like to comment on Rudd.  
I have an uncomfortable feeling about this man, I sense the zealot in him. 
He was I believe, exposed just recently, when questioned about an Australian Republic, he was cajoled by the interviewer about the fact that the delegates were stacked in favor of a republic , (I think you exposed that with numbers), but then when pressed, he mumbled about this being a democracy, the will of the people etc. He then said we are going to be republic, implying a foregone conclusion.  
Free tertiary education should be re instated, it is the Nation investing in the future, it ensures the best, not the most wealthy that can benefit from tertiary education, but that is your world, you would, have a greater insight of these matters than I. 
Hooray! You brought up a sensible rail system. I remember having a discussion at work, many moons ago with my immediate superior, he pointed out that the true cost of road transport was much higher than normal figures quoted, and that rail was a better option. People overlook the cost of accidents, the damage to the highways inflicted by the modern trucks, the snaring of the cities by big transporters chocking up the bottle necks, this has a cost for sure, the air pollution caused by many trucks, against fewer locomotives. Back to you again.  
I can understand why the indigenous people of Australia should be helped to hold onto and regain their ancient tongues, ( I myself studied for several years a 'Keltek' tongue just to get a feel of my roots, it brought many things alive that was lost to me), and of course recapturing their tongues would do great things for the Aboriginals. I think what I am saying here is there is not just an academic/commercial reason for the study of language, but also cultural. In passing I love to read items in the old ' Doric Scots' dialect, from my formative years, there is a humor in that dialect that can't be translated into straight English. (Such is language). 
If the climate tipping point goes into a full avalanche affect as implied by Dr. Hansen ,(and many others), then all of the grand ideas of 2020 would would be replaced by a screaming need for survival. 
 
Mike

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