"When you analyse it carefully, it is about a family’s ability to stay together and have time together. We all know, with our fractured lives in this place, how difficult it becomes when we as human beings cannot spend time with one another. However, the problem is that these industrial relations laws now set that disease in place right across the nation in every workplace, in every part of the country. What I fear most of all is the ultimate impact of this on the fabric of Australian family life."

“I say to those opposite: we intend to prevail in this battle of ideas, on the ground, right through to the next election. We intend to prevail.”

“Labor’s message then is this: we believe in a strong economy; we believe also in a fair go for all, not just for some.”

“There's nothing like having a bit of somebody else in you.”

“It is unlikely that you'll have anything emerge from MEF by way of detailed programmatic specificity.”

“We have seen this complete right wing takeover of modern liberalism, and it is an ugly spectacle to behold.”

“... no diplomatic intervention will ever be made by any government that I lead in support of any individual terrorist's life. We have only indicated in the past, and will maintain a policy in the future, of intervening diplomatically in support of Australian nationals who face capital sentences abroad.”