Quotes

I have more influence now than when I had the power.

Well may we say "God save the Queen", because nothing will save the Governor-General! The Proclamation which you have just heard read by the Governor-General's Official Secretary was countersigned Malcolm Fraser, who will undoubtedly go down in Australian history from Remembrance Day 1975 as Kerr's cur. They won't silence the outskirts of Parliament House, even if the inside has been silenced for the next few weeks ... Maintain your rage and enthusiasm for the campaign for the election now to be held and until polling day.

A conservative government survives essentially by dampening expectations and subduing hopes. Conservatism is basically pessimistic, reformism is basically optimistic.

[on refugees] Do not accept that a person claiming to be a refugee, is entitled to claim residence in Australia.

I'm not having these f*cking Vietnamese Balts coming into the country with their religious and political prejudices against us.

[on the possibility of Indonesia invading East Timor, 1975] We would do absolutely nothing. Now that's a blunt, truthful answer.

[on his overseas trips] Comrade, if I'm going to put up with the f*ckwits in the Labor Party, I've got to have my trips.

[on Fiji] There are too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

[on addressing his first cabinet meeting] None of you cunts matter.

[on immigration] I do not envisage any dramatic increase in our, present population, and indeed I would not wish to see one.

[on addressing cabinet after he stripped them of first-class travel passes] I travel economy and I'm a great man, and I could travel economy the rest of my life and I'd still be a great man. But most of the people around this table are pissants, and they could travel first-class the rest of their lives and they'd still be pissants.