Alexander Downer
Alexander Downer
Alexander John Gosse Downer, ACis a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was Foreign Minister of Australia from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007, the longest-serving in Australian history. He was also the Leader of the Opposition for eight months from 1994 to 1995. Until early February 2014, Downer was the United Nations Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Cyprus...
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth9 September 1951
party leader deputies
I'm not terribly focused on whether I even could ever become the Leader of the Liberal Party or the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party in the future.
views media people
So this is all part of a free society. People are entitled to hold whatever view they want, and the media can report things how they wish.
father names house
My father had the same name as me but he was known as Alec. He was a member of the House of Representatives.
growing-up father ideas
Well people often ask me how I felt growing up with a father who was a politician and who was often away. But when I'm asked that question I often reflect on my inability really to be able to answer it in any relative sense because I never grew up with a father doing anything else. So I just have no idea what it would be like otherwise.
reflection people house
If people are concerned about my house and where I live again it's much more of a reflection on them than it is on me.
hate kissing approach
I hate to spoil my own prospects, but I really don't respect the kiss-and-tell approach to public life at all, not at all.
thinking records matter
I think prime ministers, I actually think Cabinet ministers should be subject to intense scrutiny, I think that's in the public interest, even if some of the allegations made aren't right and so on, and they have to correct the record, it doesn't matter.
ministers prime yeah
Yeah, well I'm not aspiring to be the Prime Minister.
strong thinking government
I think any good government will target on the finishing date, that is, the polling day and make sure that their strategy is strong and in place to get them successfully re-elected.
writing goodness historian
Well goodness knows, goodness knows what historians will write.
real commitment rights
The protection of human rights to promote the dignity of the individual is too important a matter for symbolic gestures alone. It is only through the pursuit of practical and effective efforts to promote human rights that we show our real commitment to the welfare of individuals and society.
prepared reasonable resume talks time within
They have indicated they are prepared to resume talks and before too long, within a reasonable time frame,
good hearing north nuclear obviously process sort sure talks
They have had a good hearing of their representation on obviously resuming the six-party talks and making sure some sort of process is put in place for nuclear disarmament in North Korea,
commitment continued disposal early leadership plans strong
There will be a need for continued commitment and strong leadership by all parties, especially in the early implementation of plans for the disposal of weapons,