I'm reading Barnaby Rudge, one of the less well-known Dickens novels. I've been a life-long lover of Charles Dickens ever since I think A Tale of Two Cities was the first Dickens novel I read.

One of the things about federal politics is that it has been remarkably free of corruption.

I joined the Young Liberals when I was 16 and it was a good way for me to understand how the Liberal Party worked and to learn basic political skills and techniques.

The arts are part of a nation's identity, they are part of a nation's soul and when we look at a country from the eyes of people overseas they are part of a nations branding in the world as it were.

The tyranny of distance is such an important element of policy and the allocation of resources.

It is a necessary precondition for the success of a referendum that there should be broad community consensus and bipartisan support for it.

The crime of bribery of foreign officials is an offence under the Commonwealth Criminal Code.

I don't really know a lot about these 'anti-protest' laws. I'm only vaguely aware of them, but I don't have enough detailed knowledge about them to comment.

I was President of the Queensland Young Liberals in 1981.

I was interested in politics since the age of 14.

There have been 44 constitutional referenda in Australia and only eight have succeeded.

It might be true that it is “quality time” that counts, but after a certain point quantity has a bearing on quality.

In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

I will not be concerned at other men's not knowing me I will be concerned at my own want of ability.

I've met quite a number of people in my career, but I do have an extraordinary memory. And even though they may drift into the periphery of my memory, I can bring them right back when I need them.

To be sure a stepmother to a girl is a different thing to a second wife to a man!

Blogging is great, and I read blogs all day long. However, my goal is really to have a deep, meaningful discussion with people. For some reason, I'm able to accomplish this best via email.

Not only does God play dice with the universe, He's using loaded dice.

Everything has its limit - iron ore cannot be educated into gold.

It requires only two things to win credit for a miracle: a mountebank and a number of silly women.

Remember what is unbecoming to do is also unbecoming to speak of.