When is a Plan not a Plan?

Answers.com defines a plan:

-A scheme, program, or method worked out beforehand for the accomplishment of an objective: a plan of attack.
-A systematic arrangement of elements or important parts; a configuration or outline: a seating plan; the plan of a story.
-A drawing or diagram made to scale showing the structure or arrangement of something.
-In perspective rendering, one of several imaginary planes perpendicular to the line of vision between the viewer and the object being depicted.
-A program or policy stipulating a service or benefit: a pension plan.

On the other hand, Kevin Rudd yesterday outlined his "plan" to provide centres that would "provide a broad mix of maternal and child health services, including feeding advice and vaccinations, long day care, preschool education and support for parents."

Great plan, Mr Rudd. But I have a couple of issues with it:

1) These centres already exist, or under construction (Karingal, Eltham and St Arnaud in Victoria to name a few).
2) There is no cost modelling, no idea of who would provide which services. Maternal Health, childcare, parental support are all provided by different levels of government. The Prime Minister suggests that some level of private sector management would be necessary.

So we don't have a plan, we have a "vision". Again, the media are so in love with Kevin Rudd that they are happy to give him a free kick when he announces a "vision" for something that already exists!

Don't get me wrong, this is a good idea. Such a good idea that several local communities have taken it upon themselves to put it in place. This idea does not suit every community. It doesn't suit rural areas with widespread populations where it is impractical to centralise all services. But that's ok - individual communities can make their own decisions. In fact - they already have! We don't need motherhood statements from our Federal Government - we need action and concrete decision making.

We need the Federal Government to stop talking and start acting.

update - Bernard Keane, writing on crikey.com.au today, has estimated the cost of this vision to be $11.9b per annum. That's a lot of vision.