If Greece had gone through a very normal political life I may have not been in politics. But just the fact that I lived through huge upheavals and very difficult struggles and polarization and the barbarism of dictatorships - that made me feel that we had to change this country.

I just worry a lot. I'm a worrier. Michelle and Barack are really dear to me. I mean I love them. And I don't want to see them get hurt. Just the nature of politics is hurtful. So every time they are hurt I get hurt. It's a lot to ask of people and it's a lot to see your friends go through. It's hard not to get emotional.

As a society I think we express our cultural mores through our politics. We're trying constantly to figure out what's OK and what's not OK. And it's hard because our society is constantly buffeted by gale force winds of technology. Things are always changing.

We are naive and moralistic women. We are human beings who find politics a blight upon the human condition. And do not know how one copes with it except through politics.

It's true that it's within the realm of cultural politics that young people tend to work through political issues which I think is good although it's not going to solve the problems.

Well Australia's been in Afghanistan from the get go way back in 2001 but we have been resolute throughout and with support from both sides of Australian politics.

You have to believe that it's through politics that societies can lead social and economic and political change.

There will be no politics no ifs and buts if we see something and feel that work needs to be done we will get people here we can rely on and ensure it is done in the same thorough way as our other projects.

The Labour party has done more than any other to address gender inequalities through legislation and other means and to increase women's representation in politics which has led to recent increases in the number of female politicians.

The lesson of the last year is this: foreign policy can't be managed through the politics of personality and our President would do well to take note of an observation John F. Kennedy made once he was in office - that all of the world's problems aren't his predecessor's fault.