The 'black armband' view of our history reflects a belief that most Australian history since 1788 has been little more than a disgraceful story of imperialism, exploitation, racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination. I take a very different view. I believe that the balance sheet of our history is one of heroic achievement and that we have achieved much more as a nation of which we can be proud of than which we should be ashamed.

There is much in American society which I admire, but I have long held the view that the absence of an effective safety net in that country means that too many needy citizens fall by the wayside. That is not the path that Australia will tread. Nor do we want the burdens of nanny state paternalism that now weigh down many economies in Europe.

People who say they're too busy to have lunch have a false impression of their own importance.

I have absolutely no difficulty myself with the playing of God Save the Queen in the presence of Her Majesty.

I accept that climate change is a challenge, I accept the broad theory about global warming. I am sceptical about a lot of the more gloomy predictions.

It's too much to expect in an academic setting that we should all agree, but it is not too much to expect discipline and unvarying civility.

Nobody should claim that the war [in Iraq] is over. But certainly it can be said that the regime is finished.