Shiela thank you so much, it’s wonderful to be here. I am conscious as I gaze around this room and I see an extremely distinguished audience but I also see that the ghosts of great men inhabit this club and hopefully inspire those that come after them to greater deeds. If I may say so…
This is an important book because of what it says about our collective state of mind. Many of the people who normally support Coalition governments aren’t happy. They are publishing their own ways to “make Australia right” because, they think, the government is not up to it. It’s a heartfelt plea from people who think…
The past year has shown us what happens when mainstream parties lose touch with their supporters. That was the big lesson of 2016. And heed it we must if we are to make a success of the coming year. The British electorate rejected their prime minister’s advice – and that of the political class generally…
New South Wales is losing a great premier and Mike can be proud of what he has achieved. Those who see politics as a calling might be disappointed that he’s going after just over two and a half years and lament more turnover in our public life. As his friend and colleague, I have a…
Published in The Australian, 14 January 2016 In just a few days Donald Trump will become President of the United States and leader of the free world. It’s high time for people everywhere to stop lamenting the rise of Trump and to start responding to it. If he does what he has said he would – and…
Brexit means that Britain is back. The country that gave the world the English language, common law and the Mother of Parliaments is once more to seize its destiny as a global leader. This is an exciting time for Britain and an exhilarating one for the countless millions elsewhere who appreciate Britain’s unique contribution to…
Published in The Wall Street Journal, 8 January 2016 Most countries regard themselves as better than others, not just different. But there are few, if any, with a greater sense of manifest destiny than the United States and China. Ronald Reagan, echoing the Founding Fathers, used to express this by describing America as a “shining…
Published in The Australian, 30 December 2016 Labor will be the biggest winner of any attempt to divide right-of-centre voters Not a single Liberal MP would be in the parliament without the party. We don’t owe the party slavish obedience but we certainly owe it respect and loyalty. That’s what John Howard used to say, and it’s certainly…
First published in The Spectator Australia, 29 December 2016 ‘To know how the world goes without America, look at Aleppo’. That’s the kind of insight (from the head of one of Israel’s security agencies) you get at the Australia-Israel-UK Leadership Dialogue. The brain-child of Melbourne businessman and jazz musician Albert Dadon, the Dialogue has been…
E&OE……………………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Even as Australia’s Prime Minister, I spent many hours in schools and classrooms because education is the key to our future. While a frontbencher in the Australian Parliament, I actually spent three weeks as a teacher’s aide in a small school in a remote settlement. This is how it came about. Late…
