Labor meets next month in Sydney. As Australia's oldest and largest political party, we must take our opportunity to speak to the country, to be clear about Labor's vision for the future.

Anyone who joins a political party loves an argument. Sometimes those arguments get noisy, but that's a healthy sign. A party able to hold robust debates is a party full of energy and ideas for the future.

That's why I'm looking forward to some noise being made in Sydney. A quiet conference would disappoint because it would mean our party was lying dormant in the face of the challenges that face us.

As Australia becomes one of the richest countries in the world, how can we ensure fair shares for all? How can we ensure that no one is left behind by accident of birth or circumstance? How can we combine prosperity with stewardship of the environment?

As a party, these are questions for discussion, but as a government we have the privilege - and responsibility - of implementing our decisions. Our debates have real outcomes. Nowhere is this more true than in economic policy.