We should always measure a government's environmental rhetoric against its environmental record

I think for the most part people are proud of the bicultural foundation New Zealand is built on and the fact that we are a multicultural society.

Our opponents say more children are living in poverty than when we came into office. And that's probably right.

It would be stupid of me to rule out ever being the leader because that's an impossible thing to rule out. I can't predict future events.

New Zealand as a whole needs to save more, spend less and reduce our reliance on foreign debt.

We have been given the trust and goodwill of New Zealanders. I do not take that trust for granted, and I never will.

I'm not claiming I'm a saint, but I have a genuine, genuine belief in trying to help others.

While his removal will not necessarily bring an immediate end to terrorist activity, I have absolutely no doubt that the world is a safer place without Osama Bin Laden.

Osama Bin Laden was responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, including New Zealanders, in several different parts of the world.

Investment is crucial. Because the truth is, you only get jobs and growth in the economy when people invest money, at their own risk, in setting up a business or expanding an existing business.

We live in a world where equality is pretty important.

A grandmother’s love is selfless all the way to the bones.

Trap yourself inside your own brain, switch off the light, block all the escape routes, then turn your back on everything you know to be reality and try and survive there. Try. Living. Nowhere.

Be not afraid of growing slowly be afraid only of standing still.

Still, everybody wants to eat.

My Brain is the key that sets me free.

If it doesn't taste good it doesn't go on the menu

I'm always following the characters and I'm always interested in what happens to them, but what happens to them is conditioned by the circumstances in which they live.

O.K., we had women's lib in the '60s, the women fought for their roles, they're out there in the work force. Now let's talk about how they're dealing with things as human beings.

Storytelling is the greatest activity of any culture. Storytelling is how you build a family, how you pass along identity.

As a school boy I played with a plastic grenade, it was grey and with caps, it was loaded. In the dirt we would cry and dramatically die, as it flew through the air and exploded.