Compassion is not a dirty word. Compassion is not a sign of weakness. In my view, compassion in politics and in public policy is in fact a hallmark of great strength. It is a hallmark of a society which has about it a decency which speaks for itself.
Kevin RuddBecause the time has come, well and truly come, for all peoples of our great country, for all citizens of our great commonwealth, for all Australians - those who are indigenous and those who are not - to come together to reconcile and together build a new future for our nation.
Kevin RuddIf you accept it to be natural and normal to be gay then it follows it is not right for two folk who love each other to be denied marriage.
Kevin RuddWe have seen this complete right wing takeover of modern liberalism, and it is an ugly spectacle to behold.
Kevin RuddPolitics is about power. It is about the power of the state. It is about the power of the state as applied to individuals, the society in which they live and the economy in which they work. Most critically, our responsibility in this parliament is how that power is used: whether it is used for the benefit of the few or the many.
Kevin Rudd