Julia Gillard

“Economic growth driven by large-scale infrastructure investments without equitable provision of education will leave hundreds of millions of people behind, exacerbating inequality, disillusion, and instability.”

“I want you to know what I have told Australia's Parliament in Canberra - what I told General Petraeus in Kabul - what I told President Obama in the Oval Office this week. Australia will stand firm with our ally the United States.”

“Education's net economic benefits are greater than many other investments.”

“'Game of Thrones' has never much concerned itself with shining a torch on the powerless. Their hunger and suffering in a land ravaged by war is of little concern to the story's most powerful characters, whose antics bring so much pain to the people.”

“The global economic outlook remains fragile and uncertain. Global economic imbalances persist and we must address them or risk future instability.”

“As prime minister, I was conscious of walking in Whitlam's footsteps as our government set about creating a companion to Medicare, the National Disability Insurance Scheme.”

“Middle-income countries need to attend to the education of their poorest people to build their economies and ensure long-term stability.”

“The genius of 'Game of Thrones' is that in this rich imagining of a world redolent of the medieval, the rules of a Middle Ages morality play have been so thoroughly discarded.”

“One thing 'Game of Thrones' has taught us all is to guard against too much emotional investment.”

“Getting more girls a good education requires an approach that harnesses the collective efforts of developing nations, donor nations, multilateral organizations, NGOs, private-sector institutions.”

“I know reform is never easy. But I know reform is right.”

“If you believe, as I do, that merit is equally distributed between the sexes, then any result that isn't around half and half should be troubling.”

“My earliest political memory is of attending, in 1975, a tub-thumping campaign rally with my father in Adelaide.”

“Through hard work and education, we can deliver a strong economy and opportunity for all.”

“I know people are looking at what's happening in Washington and then they also look at events in Europe, in Greece and Portugal and other places and worry about that.”

“As more girls get basic schooling, larger numbers will move up the educational ladder - some to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. That's important because workplaces around the world, especially in many developing and emerging-market countries, are becoming more automated, favouring workers with technical skills.”

“If G20 leaders are serious about sustainable growth and job creation and want to stem migration flows and promote long-term stability, education is an essential investment.”

“For a profession that holds dear both the ability to vivisect politicians in prose and the expectation that these carved-up subjects will not complain, the media is horribly thin-skinned and vengeance-seeking when on the receiving end of criticism.”