Brian Burke as we now know was the most influential person in the West Australian Labor Party, if you could attract him, you're in business.
Peter CostelloYou find actually over the years that you get attributed with a lot of things you didn't do and you don't get reported on a lot of things you did do and I must say, when I read some of these things I wonder where the journalists get them from. They generally speak to somebody who's spoken to somebody who was down the back of a pub who heard the barman say, and gradually finds its way into magazines or articles but no, that's not the case.
Peter CostelloWhen you're looking for votes, you are looking for votes from everybody, particularly the powerful.
Peter CostelloBefore becoming an Australian you will be asked to subscribe to certain values. If you have strong objections to those values, don't come to Australia.
Peter CostelloI think Australians are rightly suspicious of people who will try and use religion for another end. I don't think that's right and I don't think it should be done, but I think it should inform values, and it does.
Peter CostelloThis is not the kind of country where you would feel comfortable if you were opposed to democracy, parliamentary law, independent courts and so I would say to people who don't feel comfortable with those values there might be other countries where they'd feel more comfortable with their own values or beliefs.
Peter Costello