The yearning for strong leadership is more about strength of purpose - clarity of vision - than about merely 'getting tough'.

No one welcomes chaos, but why crave stability and predictability?

The thing we need most is each other.

So, if falling crime rates coincide with the rise of violent video games and increasing violence on TV and at the cinema, should we conclude that media violence is causing the drop in crime rates?

With increasing frequency and growing vehemence, you hear people saying they are ashamed to be Australians.

One of the most important responsibilities of leaders in any setting - including business organisations - is to tell us our own story; to explain us to ourselves; to help us weave some meaning and purpose into the fabric of our lives; to illuminate our understanding of where we have come from; to paint word pictures of our future onto which we can project our aspirations.

On average, Australians watch more than three hours of television a day, compared with 12 minutes a day spent by the average couple talking to each other.