Rudd’s priorities

Prime Minister elect Kevin Rudd has made it clear he is ready to get on with his agenda for change.

He is already planning visits to the United States and Indonesia early next year, and is putting in place what’s required to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

This week he will select his front bench – in a break from the past he has insisted he won’t seek and doesn’t need a caucus sign-off. Who will take the industry and small business portfolios is an open question. See our story here.

Here are Rudd’s stated priorities for the initial days in office:

1. Repealing WorkChoices – for more on what this means see Mike Preston’s story.
2. Urgent action on climate change and water.
3. Education and hospital funding.
4. Broadband and other infrastructure.
5. Taking pressure off family budgets with more help for childcare.

Rudd declared in a press conference yesterday that the difference between Labor and the Coalition is that he would be straight with the public about what he could and could not do.