It just doesn't seem to be sustainable to keep a light burning on the hill these days

A Labor PM inspires the labour movement to welcome a large-scale migration program.

Light on the hill. Ben Chifley at the ALP's NSW branch, June 12, 1949:

ONE of the things that has held us up is an inability to produce basic materials: bricks, coal and all the things necessary, not only for increased manufacture, but for housing which is so badly needed. If this country is to go ahead it must have labour to produce the things we want and the population must be increased to meet the great needs of development. I ask the labour movement to help the government in making these people feel as much at home as possible.

Lite on the Hill. Tony Burke on ABC1's Q&A Population Special last Thursday:

WE have, for decades, only looked at the employment part of a skilled migration program, and that's where the whole debate has been at and it is not until very recently that we have started to catch up with where the public has always been, which is to say, yeah, that's one of the issues, but in a dry, arid continent there's a whole lot of sustainability issues that we have not been dealing with and we shouldn't pretend that we have.

Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland:

THERE was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep.. The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together at one corner of it: 'No room! No room!' they cried out when they saw Alice coming. 'There's PLENTY of room!' said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large armchair at one end of the table. 'Have some wine,' the March Hare said in an encouraging tone. Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea. 'I don't see any wine,' she remarked. 'There isn't any,' said the March Hare. 'Then it wasn't very civil of you to offer it,' said Alice angrily. 'It wasn't very civil of you to sit down without being invited,' said the March Hare.

Never concede. Wayne Swan on Sky TV March 20, 2009:

DAVID Speers: Senior Labor figures have told me this has been a badly run campaign. Do you concede that the marginal seat campaign hasn't been as well targeted and properly run as it should've been?

Treasurer: Not at all.

Ever. Swan with Jon Faine on Melbourne's 774, July 2:

FAINE: Do you concede that the way you and Kevin Rudd were going about it initially was clumsy and even ham-fisted?

Treasurer: I think there are a whole range of factors involved. I don't concede that at all, and I don't seek to apportion blame or credit.

Jennifer Hewett on Channel 10's Meet the Press:

YOU refused to concede any major changes to that tax until Kevin Rudd was ousted. Do you think that was a great error of judgment on your part?

Treasurer: No I don't.

Mike Carlton in The Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday:

THE bilious Mark Latham is no more a "reporter" than I am George Clooney. His descent upon the election campaign was like Looney Uncle Festus turning up unwanted at the wedding with his fly undone. Eyeballs burning, Latham radiates menace. You feel yourself hoping the knives are locked away and there's not an AK-47 or a chainsaw in reach. I never know if this in-yer-face aggro is an artfully contrived act to instil fear or whether he is just plain gaga.

In happier times. Mike Carlton 2UE Jan 12, 2004:

YOU have got a big year ahead.

Latham: Absolutely. Huge year. But I am looking forward to it. I am enjoying the dialogue with the public, people like yourself, and I want to get stuck in.

Carlton: Good on you, and the best of luck.

Latham: Thank you

Carlton: I look forward to talking to you again.

Latham: A pleasure.

Carlton: Thanks for coming in. Good stuff.