John Howard, willing to apologise to home owners for rising interest rates, would not say sorry to Aborigines. He refused to condone what he referred to as 'a black armband version' of history, preferring a jingoistic nationalism.

Within white Australia, there was a growing movement for what was known as reconciliation - a movement that peaked with millions marching in 2000 to demand the government say sorry for past injustices.

My secret skill is baking bread. My mother was a farmer's daughter and still made bread every day when I was a child. She would have me knead the dough when I got home from school.

If I've done anything I'm sorry for, I'm willing to be forgiven

I was struck by the way Europeans see history as something neatly linear. For me, it's not that; it's not some kind of straight railway.

You should not leave your housing loan aside after getting it. Learn to keep track of it every six months, or retain an advisor, such as a mortgage consultant or broker who can help you to do it. You will realize you can save quite a large sum of money throughout your loan tenure.