--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Australia can no longer afford to go down…" description: "\"Australia can no longer afford to go down the path of confrontation and fragmentation which has embittered and disfigured so many aspects of the nation..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/bob-hawke-7891_australia_australia-can-no-longer-afford-to-go-dow_2632957.jpg" --- # Australia can no longer afford to go down the path of… ![“Australia can no longer afford to go down the path of confrontation and fragmentation which has embittered and disfigured so many aspects of the national life.” quote by Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/bob-hawke-7891_australia_australia-can-no-longer-afford-to-go-dow_2632957.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/bob-hawke-7891_australia_australia-can-no-longer-afford-to-go-dow_2632957.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/bob-hawke-7891_australia_australia-can-no-longer-afford-to-go-dow_2632957.jpg) > “Australia can no longer afford to go down the path of confrontation and fragmentation which has embittered and disfigured so many aspects of the national life.” [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A call for national unity over division, warning that conflict fragments society and harms collective well‑being. **In simple terms:** Avoid conflict; promote unity for national health. Key Takeaway Foster inclusive dialogue. Themes unity conflict national identity policy social cohesion Mood concerned optimistic Type political social When to use this quote - government - community building - education - media - civic engagement Key Concepts political science public policy social psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can we address grievances peacefully? - What policies reduce fragmentation? A Different Perspective May ignore legitimate dissent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Australia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/australia/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) ## Related quotes > [The people of Australia would be staggered to learn that Australia has no national development plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-people-of-australia-would-be-staggered-to-learn-that-australia/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With stillness comes the benediction of peace”. “Thinking isolates a situation or event and calls it good or bad, as if it had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/with-stillness-comes-the-benediction-of-peace-thinking-isolates-a/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“First radio, then television, and now the World Wide Web have migrated entertainment’s public from the social community to the domestic sphere, where further…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-brent-laytham/first-radio-then-television-and-now-the-world-wide-web-have-migrated/) [D. Brent Laytham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-brent-laytham/) > [“Without a home, everything is fragmentation. -John Berger”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/without-a-home-everything-is-fragmentation-john-berger/) [Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/) > [“Pope John Paul II once said as well, “Lebanon is a message more than it is a country.” Now this diversity has turned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rami-ollaik/pope-john-paul-ii-once-said-as-well-lebanon-is-a-message-more-than-it/) [Rami Ollaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rami-ollaik/) > [Literacy, the visual technology, dissolved the tribal magic by means of its stress on fragmentation and specialization and created the individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/literacy-the-visual-technology-dissolved-the-tribal-magic-by-means-of/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [There are some very similar moments in the early work where the focus was on drawing, abstraction and fragmentation. Then it moved to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaha-hadid/there-are-some-very-similar-moments-in-the-early-work-where-the-focus/) [Zaha Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaha-hadid/) > [“The fragmentation of our awareness may trigger dizzying vertigo in the chaos of our living. As such, an overwhelming flurry of connectivity and images…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/the-fragmentation-of-our-awareness-may-trigger-dizzying-vertigo-in/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Another problem of fragmentation is that thought divides itself from feeling and from the body. Thought is said to be the mind; we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/another-problem-of-fragmentation-is-that-thought-divides-itself-from/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [“An insipid voice message or an incongruent emergence from the “other” world may disrupt our whole thinking system. If we are not able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/an-insipid-voice-message-or-an-incongruent-emergence-from-the-other/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [“Writing is not destined to leave traces, but to erase, by traces, all traces, to disappear in the fragmentary space of writing more definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-blanchot/writing-is-not-destined-to-leave-traces-but-to-erase-by-traces-all/) [Maurice Blanchot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-blanchot/) > [Fragmentation is a big part of the problem. You have a city where trash is taken away from the curb every week, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/severn-cullis-suzuki/fragmentation-is-a-big-part-of-the-problem-you-have-a-city-where/) [Severn Cullis-Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/severn-cullis-suzuki/) > [Life, as the most ancient of all metaphors insists, is a journey; and the travel book, in its deceptive simulation of the journey's fits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/life-as-the-most-ancient-of-all-metaphors-insists-is-a-journey-and/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [“An attempt to wrest from God the prerogatives of absolute freedom and infinity leads to the inversion of Pentecost and what is in effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-e-gunton/an-attempt-to-wrest-from-god-the-prerogatives-of-absolute-freedom-and/) Colin E. Gunton > [Pornography and obscenity...work by specialism and fragmentation. They deal with a figure without a ground - situations in which the human factor is suppressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/pornography-and-obscenity-work-by-specialism-and-fragmentation-they/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) ## More by Bob Hawke > [ Brian Mulroney, myself, \[and\] Rajiv Gandhi; I think that was the real core \[of the Commonwealth \]. That was the engine room, I reckon. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/brian-mulroney-myself-and-rajiv-gandhi-i-think-that-was-the-real-core/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [While society cannot provide employment for its members, the production/work/income nexus has to be abandoned as a justification for our present parsimony to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/while-society-cannot-provide-employment-for-its-members-the/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [ We \[ with Brian Mulroney and Rajiv Gandhi\] went to the meeting in Canada \[the 1987 Vancouver CHOGM\] and I said to them there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/we-with-brian-mulroney-and-rajiv-gandhi-went-to-the-meeting-in-canada/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [ I told \[ David Lange\] he was crazy, because you can't have an alliance relationship if you refuse access to their ships. And the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-told-david-lange-he-was-crazy-because-you-can-t-have-an-alliance/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I find a fence a very uncomfortable place to squat my bottom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-find-a-fence-a-very-uncomfortable-place-to-squat-my-bottom/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [ There is a reciprocal respect for \[ Elizabeth II\], for her interest in the Commonwealth. The members of the Commonwealth recognise that here is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/there-is-a-reciprocal-respect-for-elizabeth-ii-for-her-interest-in/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [We are building together a nation in which there are no second-class Australians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/we-are-building-together-a-nation-in-which-there-are-no-second-class/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I had no time for Indira Gandhi. She was too much in the Russian camp for my liking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-had-no-time-for-indira-gandhi-she-was-too-much-in-the-russian-camp/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I wrote a letter to our Australian newspaper about three weeks before the invasion and I said, "Osama bin Laden must be on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-wrote-a-letter-to-our-australian-newspaper-about-three-weeks-before/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I can't speak with authority about Emeka Anyaoku. I just didn't know him that well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-can-t-speak-with-authority-about-emeka-anyaoku-i-just-didn-t-know/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [ George Bush Junior \[George W Bush\] was a religious fanatic, and Tony Blair wasn't far behind in a way. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/george-bush-junior-george-w-bush-was-a-religious-fanatic-and-tony/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I felt completely ready to become prime minister. I came to office better equipped, in terms of knowledge of economics and of the Australian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-felt-completely-ready-to-become-prime-minister-i-came-to-office/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I went along with it, and wanted to appoint a significant figure in Malcolm Fraser. I didn't have high hopes that they'd be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/i-went-along-with-it-and-wanted-to-appoint-a-significant-figure-in/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [ One of the features of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings was \[that\] she \[ Elizabeth II\] would have a meeting with each of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/one-of-the-features-of-the-commonwealth-heads-of-government-meetings/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [The greatest stain upon this great Australian nation's character, without any question, is the great gaps that exist between our Aboriginal brothers and sisters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/the-greatest-stain-upon-this-great-australian-nation-s-character/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) [Explore all 86 Bob Hawke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) ## More Australia quotes > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I wanted to have a peaceful married life with my wife, so we both moved to Sydney in Australia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-roy/i-wanted-to-have-a-peaceful-married-life-with-my-wife-so-we-both/) [Rahul Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-roy/) > [It will be nice to play against Australia. It's a great country, and football is getting bigger and bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-mata/it-will-be-nice-to-play-against-australia-it-s-a-great-country-and/) [Juan Mata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-mata/) > [We don't have any sailors in Australia, we have rowers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lexcen/we-don-t-have-any-sailors-in-australia-we-have-rowers/) Ben Lexcen > [I think that prosecuting some college kid because she shared a file is a lot like sending somebody to Australia 200 years ago for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-think-that-prosecuting-some-college-kid-because-she-shared-a-file/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [Sydney CBD is the eastern city, Parramatta is the central city and Badgerys will be the third city in greater Sydney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-berejiklian/sydney-cbd-is-the-eastern-city-parramatta-is-the-central-city-and/) [Gladys Berejiklian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-berejiklian/) > [No matter what day we celebrate Australia Day, let's celebrate it together and give thanks to the original inhabitants of this vast country. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-barnes/no-matter-what-day-we-celebrate-australia-day-let-s-celebrate-it/) [Jimmy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-barnes/) > [As a young kid you stay up late to watch the Ashes, getting told off for not being in bed, and dream of making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-bairstow/as-a-young-kid-you-stay-up-late-to-watch-the-ashes-getting-told-off/) [Jonny Bairstow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-bairstow/) > [I love coming out to Australia, if it weren't so far away I would go all the time. I've worked with a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erick-morillo/i-love-coming-out-to-australia-if-it-weren-t-so-far-away-i-would-go/) [Erick Morillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erick-morillo/) > [What I appreciated was the fact that the script delved into how Australians were - and still are - condescended to by the English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-rush/what-i-appreciated-was-the-fact-that-the-script-delved-into-how/) [Geoffrey Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-rush/) > [Okay the names 360, I run around tipsy. My fellas in Australia all sit with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/360/okay-the-names-360-i-run-around-tipsy-my-fellas-in-australia-all-sit/) 360 > [Coal is the moral choice, particularly for the developing world... The model for the world right now should be Australia. Australia gets it. Scientifically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-morano/coal-is-the-moral-choice-particularly-for-the-developing-world-the/) Marc Morano > [I want to be part of the team that wins a Test series in England and Australia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-gambhir/i-want-to-be-part-of-the-team-that-wins-a-test-series-in-england-and/) [Gautam Gambhir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-gambhir/) > [I was brought up in a Christian home in Australia with a father who was very bold about his faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ham/i-was-brought-up-in-a-christian-home-in-australia-with-a-father-who/) [Ken Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ham/) [Browse all 1,907 Australia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/australia/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Australia can no longer afford to go down the path of confrontation and fragmentation which has embittered and disfigured so many aspects of the national life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bob Hawke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/australia-can-no-longer-afford-to-go-down-the-path-of-confrontation/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Australia" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/australia-can-no-longer-afford-to-go-down-the-path-of-confrontation/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/bob-hawke-7891_australia_australia-can-no-longer-afford-to-go-dow_2632957.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/bob-hawke-7891_australia_australia-can-no-longer-afford-to-go-dow_2632957.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/bob-hawke-7891_australia_australia-can-no-longer-afford-to-go-dow_2632957.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Australia can no longer afford to go down the path of confrontation and fragmentation which has embittered…” — Bob Hawke", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bob Hawke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Australia can no longer afford to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/australia-can-no-longer-afford-to-go-down-the-path-of-confrontation/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/australia-can-no-longer-afford-to-go-down-the-path-of-confrontation/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```