Paul Keating

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

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.

Well, I think that - I think leadership's always been about two main things: imagination and courage.

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.