If Howard and Rudd were boxers, yesterday's $10 billion Murray-Darling policy announcement would have been a powerful body blow that left Rudd reeling and on the defensive. After several years of allowing the states to attempt to deal with this issue, Howard has stepped in and made a decisive and popular move that allows him to spend on a issue that will win votes but won't threaten to raise inflation (as a middle-class tax cut / benefit might).
It swept aside Rudd's calls for a water summit - Howard assumes responsibility for the Murray-Darling, simultaneously putting pressure on the states to now manage their residential water supplies. The federal government has pledged $10 billion and assumed responsibility for a major water issue - the burden of supplying water to the cities and suburbs is now squarely on the state's back, as is the blame for failure.
Turnbull appeared on the 7.30 report after the announcement during the day at the National Press Club. On a side issue, Turnbull's interview technique needs a lot of work - he waffled his way through several very 'kind' Kerry O'Brien questions and was given a lot of leeway not normally afforded to politicians by ABC interviewers.
This policy allows Turnbull to start making serious noise nationally about the Governments 'realist' green credentials. The next step is to announce policy that funds the research and development of clean coal technology and guarantees the Australian coal industry's future. Value adding our uranium exports by enriching in country, as well as developing stringent procedures designed to prevent proliferation are another area for the Government to focus upon.
Looking forward to the next blow to the Labor agenda - looks like that honeymoon is starting to waiver. Bet Labor are spitting that their $1 million early advertising campaign just got overshadowed by Howard's policy announcement...
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