Well it's a - I don't want to disappoint you but it's a time worn tradition of Australian Governments over many years not to get into any discussion about that aspect of intelligence matters.

You know I'm Australian and we have got the worst sense of humor. We are cruel to each other.

Health economists have estimated that an injection of $250 million per year in Indigenous clinical care and $50 million in preventative care is required to provide services at the same level as for any other group with the health conditions of Indigenous Australians.

Advances in science and medical research and public health policies have meant that life expectancy for Australians is one of the highest in the world.

If the states and territories do not sign up to fundamental reform then my message is equally simple: we will take this reform plan to the people at the next election - along with a referendum by or at that same election to give the Australian Government all the power it needs to reform the health system.

Both my parents are English and came out to Australia in 1967. I was born the following year. My parents and immigrants like them were known as '£10 poms.' Back then the Australian government was trying to get educated British people and Canadians - to be honest educated white people - to come and live in Australia.

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.

The Australian Government's 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.

Because the time has come well and truly come for all peoples of our great country for all citizens of our great commonwealth for all Australians - those who are indigenous and those who are not - to come together to reconcile and together build a new future for our nation.

I deeply believe that if the Australian Labor Party a party of which I have been a proud member for more than 30 years is to have the best future for our nation then it must change fundamentally its culture and to end the power of faceless men. Australia must be governed by the people not by the factions.