16 May

These are the 2 most significant PMs of my lifetime so far. I’m not really interested in comparing them as people, but one thing each of them said I think defines the debates Australia is still having. Hawke: At every level of human relationships — personal, economic, cultural or sporting — a unity of understanding and purpose is rightly regarded as a desirable element in achieving success. The principle is no less true at the highest level of the nation’s affairs. Howard: I dream of an Australia where every person sees somebody drive past in a Rolls Royce, and thinks “I want that to be me”.