91 Quotes by Paul Keating

He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up.

The great curse of modern political life is incrementalism.

Well, I think that - I think leadership's always been about two main things: imagination and courage.

If one takes pride in one's craft, you won't let a good thing die. Risking it through not pushing hard enough is not a humility.

I always believed in burning up the government's political capital, not being Mr Safe Guy, you know?

I've always held the view that great states need strategic space. I mean, George Washington took his space from George III. Britain took it from just about everybody. Russia took all of Eastern Europe. Germany's taken it from everywhere they can, and China will want its space too.

I think the Australian people are very conscientious. During the 1980s and 1990s we proved they will respond conscientiously to necessary reforms. They mightn't like them but they'll accept them. But reforms have to be presented in a digestible format.

When the Berlin Wall came down the Americans cried, 'Victory,' and walked off the field.

You see, before I became prime minister, the Australian prime minister only attended ever two meetings in the world: the British Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the South Pacific Forum.