Vilification on the grounds of race or religion is always wrong. There's no place for inciting hatred within our Australia society.

No government, no organisation, no citizen can afford to be less than vigilant in combating bigotry, intolerance and hatred. And frankly, our way of life depends on that vigilance.

In commendably seeking to protect freedom of speech, we must not lower our defences against the evil of racial and religious intolerance.

I don't favour ethics classes being an alternative to special religious education classes.

Our children are our most cherished possession. In their early years, we must make sure they get a healthy start in life. They must receive the right food for a healthy body, the right education for a bright and inquiring mind - and the equal opportunity for a meaningful job.

Keep yourself healthy. If you got your health, you can do anything. You don't need no money, you don't need nothing.

With something like cancer, there is a feeling that you can fight it in some way or control your response to it, but with dementia there is the fear of losing control of your mind and your life.

I was born on the other side of the tracks, in public housing in Brooklyn, New York. My dad never made more than $20,000 a year, and I grew up in a family that lost health insurance. So I was scarred at a young age with understanding what it was like to watch my parents lose access to the American dream.