Well in the end the world can crank itself up to sanctions, as it has with Zimbabwe, another sad case.

Economic growth which strips out the planet’s ecosystems is not sustainable

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

I only take on roles that I'm passionate about.

I felt really compromised. I think legal marriage is unnecessary and I would not have formalised the relationship [with husband Peter Davis] except for going into Parliament. I have always railed against it privately.

We need a lot of thinking and ideas. We need all the innovators, particularly with the new sustainable technologies - how do we get them to affordability so that people can generate clean energy?

Senator Obama will be taking office at a critical juncture. There are many pressing challenges facing the international community, including the global financial crisis and global warming. We look forward to working closely with President-elect Obama and his team to address these challenges.