The Australian Governments decision to take on the dominant funding role for the entire public hospital system is designed to: end the blame game eliminate waste and to shoulder the funding burden of the rapidly rising health costs of the future. – Kevin Rudd

To be a member of the Labor Party is to be an optimist – optimistic about the future of Australia, optimistic about the ability of government to make a difference. – Kevin Rudd

On Australia Day 2010, as we enter this second decade of the 21st century, Australians can be optimistic about our future, but we cannot afford to mistake optimism for complacency. – Kevin Rudd