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.

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 architecture in the Pacific. I wasn't going to give those up.

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

I used to say in the cabinet room, 'confidence is not like a can of Popeye spinach - you can't take the top off and swallow it down.' You know, confidence has to be earned.

I've always believed in local government.