In terms of having views and being prepared to express them, yes, I think New Zealand's had a leadership role in a lot of things.

I only take on roles that I'm passionate about. Life is too short to do things that you're not happy with.

Any serious shift towards more sustainable societies has to include gender equality.

I don't know that you're ever going to persuade New Zealanders that they're not going to own their own homes and I'm not going to try.

Well of course New Zealand isn't anti-American.

I think the issue of North Korea is one where the international community as a whole has to work to resolve the crisis.

If you neglect those who are currently poor and stable, you may create more poor and unstable people. There has been a tremendous concentration of donor interest in countries that are seen as particularly fragile - but it becomes harder to mobilise money for sub-Saharan, plain poor countries.