Tony Abbott says he has a plan to stop the boats, now Kevin Rudd has a plan to move them.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister was in Sydney where he announced that if re-elected, Labor would look at shifting the Garden Island naval facility in a central spot on the city's harbour out to the north and west. Never mind that as recently as May, the Defence White Paper had decided the $6 billion price tag was too exxy.

Among the plush carpets, painted ceilings and glowing chandeliers of the Lowy Institute, Rudd informed a gathering of foreign policy types that his idea to move the navy was all in keeping with his plan for jobs, national security and "big calls".

An ominously generic-sounding "Future Navy Taskforce" would look into the issue and report back in 24 months, he told the hushed gathering before relocating to the harbour side.

Perched on a grassy patch against the backdrop of the gigantic ships of Garden Island, Rudd proudly declared, "I'm about building for the future."

As passing joggers ignored him and tourists infiltrated the media pack to take snaps, the PM stressed that planning would be "methodical" and "step by step".

"Our job is to get the big calls right for the long term," he said.

He also had a zinger ready for local premier, Barry O'Farrell, who had told morning radio that the Garden Island plan would devastate the NSW economy - despite calling for the site to be opened up to cruise ships in 2012.

"Be consistent, Barry" Rudd lectured.

But Rudd's gotcha stocks plummeted when walking back up the hill to his car. Who should he bump into on the long and winding pathway but the NSW Premier himself, in the vicinity for his own press conference.

"A phone call would have been helpful," O'Farrell noted, as Rudd replied, "It's about the national security of Australia".

"Your predecessor shared and you should learn to share," the premier continued.

You can make the big calls, but sometimes it's the little ones that people really notice.