1. Nelson Mandela - he demonstrated the triumph of the human spirit over adversity and oppression, and he highlights the dignity present in every person.
2. James D Watson - Watson and Crick's discovery of the structure of DNA has revolutionised biology and medicine. Yet we are only at the beginning of the understanding of the human body and untold medical benefits are still in store.
3. Dame Joan Sutherland - men and women do not live by bread alone! The arts and the humanities are ineffably important and I chose Dame Joan as symbolising what is best in Australia in these fields.

1. Integrity - no matter what the field of endeavour, the capacity to espouse values, stick to them and to be recognised for so doing are essential qualities.
2. Vision - a leader must know where he or she is going and vision, in that sense, is a mixture of imagination and creative intelligence. Only if a person knows where he or she is going will others wish to follow.
3. Determination - leadership almost always requires effort. An imaginative person without drive can inspire others in flashes, but for a leader to be successful in the long run it is important to sustain effort. This means drive and determination.

1. 1. The Tall Poppy syndrome - it is part of our wonderful larrikin tradition to cut down Tall Poppies. People who are too ambitious (except in sport) are looked at askance. Very hard striving at school work, for example, is not regarded as cool. Let's try to preserve the egalitarian tradition while giving more encouragement to the intellectual superstars!
2. Our geographical remoteness - the great leaders all seek to play on a world stage, and this is difficult when we are so far away from the other great centres of learning, particularly those of the Judaeo-Christian tradition. That is why we have to struggle just a little bit harder to get noticed.
3. Our disrespect for politicians - unquestionably, Australia badly needs great political leaders but this is hard to achieve if politicians as a class are reviled and despised. There is, of course, a chicken and an egg situation here but we must try to get more good young people into politics.

1. Not enough talent within politics.
2. Insufficient generosity both at the personal and the national level - we need more overseas aid as aproportion of GDP, more philanthropic giving by individuals and corporations.
3. Independence in culture and policies. There is too much of a tendency to copy the United States and we are at risk of becoming a derivative society. This must not happen as in fact robust individualism has served as very well and there is the possibility of creating a uniquely good society - if we have the strength and the will.

• Sir Macfarlane Burnet, my scientific mentor and teacher, who recognised certain qualities in me and encouraged me to address big problems in science and to have confidence in my ability to solve them.
• Sir Colin Syme, distinguished lawyer and businessman, who served as Chairman of The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Board and helped to introduce me to the commercial and financial world of Australia, to broaden my outlook and to remember the crucial importance of absolute integrity.
• Dr Joshua Lederberg, my scientific collaborator at a very young age, this American Nobel Laureate had a brilliantly fast mind, an amazing memory and a huge grasp of the broad new thrusts in biology. He lived completely at the cutting edge, was not afraid of high technology and introduced me to many of the scientific leaders of the United States, thus preventing me from thinking parochially.

Published October 2003

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