On the Governor General
[In early 2002 the Governor General came under criticism for failing to act properly in relation to child sex abuse]

I see this as God's way of telling John Howard to religiously observe the separation between church and state.

Published in Sydney Morning Herald, 22 February 2002.
 
 

On the HIH Collapse and proposed bailout

Any bailout of HIH must be approached with extreme caution. It is one thing for taxpayers to pick up some of other taxpayers' insured losses
relating to injury or property damage - we are a society, after all. It is quite another for them to pick up the costs for non-taxpayers, especially in
relation to commercial ventures.

Is it equitable that the Australian taxpayer subsidise insured losses of non-taxpayers - in particular of foreign multinationals which ought to have
known the risks?

Published in Sydney Morning Herald, 18 May 2001
 

Judges expressing view on Mandatory Sentencing.

"Well d'uh!" - My response to your writers who want judges to butt out of the mandatory sentencing debate.

Judges are the people who are at the coalface of sentencing on a regular basis, they're the ones with all of the knowledge and experience.

To exclude them from the debate or to call it improper would be like saying a motor mechanic has no right to comment on what's wrong with your car.

Published in Sydney Morning Herald, 23 March 2000