Paul keating

You see, psychologically, Australia must understand it has to live in the region around it. Australia must find its security in Asia; it cannot find its security from Asia.

I think the rise of China is one of the great events of all economic and human history, and I think this will be overwhelmingly a positive thing for the region and the world.

I always believed in burning up the government's political capital, not being Mr Safe Guy, you know?

The great curse of modern political life is incrementalism.

One tires of combat, although I can still throw a punch, you know.

The great changes in civilisation and society have been wrought by deeply held beliefs and passion rather than by a process of rational deduction.

You see, before I became prime minister, the Australian prime minister only attended ever two meetings in the world: the British Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the South Pacific Forum.

You get one chance to do something about native title. You get perhaps one chance in your life to do something about a republic. You get one chance, your chance, to build a piece of the political...

I think Australia has to be a country which has the 'Welcome' sign out.

In the end, rational policy is always good.