Governments should have the wisdom to act on what is in their power, and leave to the forces of nature those things that aren’t. The world economy, it may surprise some to learn, is beyond the healing powers even of Wayne Swan. Federal-State relations are not.

This is the moment to fix our federation: Labor Governments across the country, a mandate for change, a squadron of compelling reasons for it. The Rudd Government will be tested by this, but there can be no excuse for either inaction or failure. This is the moment, this is why they are there, the time is right to overwhelm parochial jealousies and the tired routines of history to resculpt Australia for the new century. Let’s see what happens.