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.

In the end, there will always be a fundamental difference of perspective between New Zealand and Australia on defense, whoever is in government.

Someone's got to break the glass ceiling, and once it's broken, everybody else comes clamouring up behind.

I think the penny has dropped that the All Blacks aren't automatically just going to be the best team in the world.

Of course as a small country you're not necessarily in the strongest negotiating position unless you're negotiating with other small countries.

People are optimistic about the future.

I think it's inevitable that New Zealand will become a republic and that would reflect the reality that New Zealand is a totally sovereign-independent 21st century nation 12,000 miles from the United Kingdom.