--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Look, good government doesn't look for…" description: "\"Look, good government doesn't look for excuses, good government gets on with the job.\" — Tony Abbott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/tony-abbott-1939_excuse_look-good-government-doesn-t-look-for-ex_1908772.jpg" --- # Look, good government doesn't look for excuses, good… ![“Look, good government doesn't look for excuses, good government gets on with the job.” quote by Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/tony-abbott-1939_excuse_look-good-government-doesn-t-look-for-ex_1908772.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/tony-abbott-1939_excuse_look-good-government-doesn-t-look-for-ex_1908772.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/tony-abbott-1939_excuse_look-good-government-doesn-t-look-for-ex_1908772.jpg) > “Look, good government doesn't look for excuses, good government gets on with the job.” [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective governance requires action, not excuses; leaders must prioritize results over justification. **In simple terms:** Good government acts, not makes excuses. Key Takeaway Focus on execution, not excuses. Themes leadership government accountability Mood determined pragmatic Type political motivational When to use this quote - public administration - crisis management - policy implementation Key Concepts public policy decision making Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders balance accountability with swift action? - What safeguards prevent misuse of power? A Different Perspective Action alone may not solve systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-government/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [A Government that gets too big for it's own good; is a Government gone bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samm-tittle/a-government-that-gets-too-big-for-it-s-own-good-is-a-government-gone/) Samm Tittle > [There are no excuses. There are no good reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/there-are-no-excuses-there-are-no-good-reasons/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [Every child can learn, and we mean it... excuses are not good enough, we need results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-paige/every-child-can-learn-and-we-mean-it-excuses-are-not-good-enough-we/) [Rod Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-paige/) > [“There's no excuse for excuses. Many of us are good at finding justification for behavior in men that isn't acceptable. We sometimes let them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daylle-deanna-schwartz/there-s-no-excuse-for-excuses-many-of-us-are-good-at-finding/) [Daylle Deanna Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daylle-deanna-schwartz/) > [I wasn't a bad kid. My dad left when I was young, so I didn't have much discipline, not that I'm making excuses. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-dyer/i-wasn-t-a-bad-kid-my-dad-left-when-i-was-young-so-i-didn-t-have-much/) [Danny Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-dyer/) > [I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-never-knew-a-man-who-was-good-at-making-excuses-who-was-good-at/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He didn't seem to realize that three excuses was as good as no excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/he-didn-t-seem-to-realize-that-three-excuses-was-as-good-as-no-excuse/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Your excuses will never be as good as the story of how you got it done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brogan/your-excuses-will-never-be-as-good-as-the-story-of-how-you-got-it-done/) [Chris Brogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brogan/) > [I understand that government should live within its means, value the money it holds in trust from you the taxpayer, avoid waste and, above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-understand-that-government-should-live-within-its-means-value-the/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [A black...gets a job with a white-owned company. He is the only black at the firm. He works hard, but he's fighting a losing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/a-black-gets-a-job-with-a-white-owned-company-he-is-the-only-black-at/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [“When good enough gets the job done, go for it. It's way better than wasting resources or, even worse, doing nothing because you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-fried/when-good-enough-gets-the-job-done-go-for-it-it-s-way-better-than/) [Jason Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-fried/) > [“Wow, top five percent of your class at Northwestern. Nice!" Joel said and then looked over at me. "Bet you're glad to have someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-lauren/wow-top-five-percent-of-your-class-at-northwestern-nice-joel-said-and/) [Christina Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-lauren/) > [It's like I'm not one for excuses. Never have. Somebody gets the job done, they get the job done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-holland/it-s-like-i-m-not-one-for-excuses-never-have-somebody-gets-the-job/) [Kevin Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-holland/) > [When someone gets a job, it better be clear what they did to get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-v-hurd/when-someone-gets-a-job-it-better-be-clear-what-they-did-to-get-it/) [Mark V. Hurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-v-hurd/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) ## More by Tony Abbott > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [To move past fear is a cliche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/to-move-past-fear-is-a-cliche/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I don't think it's a very Christian thing to come in by the back door rather than the front door,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-don-t-think-it-s-a-very-christian-thing-to-come-in-by-the-back-door/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Whether carbon dioxide is quite the environmental villain that some people make it out to be is not yet proven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/whether-carbon-dioxide-is-quite-the-environmental-villain-that-some/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I also think that if you want to put a price on carbon, why not just do it with a simple tax? Why not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-also-think-that-if-you-want-to-put-a-price-on-carbon-why-not-just/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [The smart way to improve broadband is not to junk the existing network but to make the most of it. It’s to let a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/the-smart-way-to-improve-broadband-is-not-to-junk-the-existing/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [It is fit that justice should be administered with great caution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/it-is-fit-that-justice-should-be-administered-with-great-caution/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [This is a government which is proposing to put at risk our manufacturing industry, to penalise struggling families, to make a tough situation worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/this-is-a-government-which-is-proposing-to-put-at-risk-our/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I don't bring religion into the square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-don-t-bring-religion-into-the-square/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [What will most certainly happen is that there will be very clear and full communication between the government and independents and minor parties. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/what-will-most-certainly-happen-is-that-there-will-be-very-clear-and/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [All of the people who are using their BlackBerries or their iPhones, Facebook, all of the people who are sitting in cafes and hotels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/all-of-the-people-who-are-using-their-blackberries-or-their-iphones/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I think there is no doubt that the advent of 24/7 news channels, which are voracious in their demand for constant new content, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-think-there-is-no-doubt-that-the-advent-of-24-7-news-channels-which/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [The only thing I wouldn't do is sell my arse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/the-only-thing-i-wouldn-t-do-is-sell-my-arse/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Once people come to Australia, they join the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/once-people-come-to-australia-they-join-the-team/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I don't think that my particular religious convictions should be held against me in this campaign any more than the Prime Minister's lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-don-t-think-that-my-particular-religious-convictions-should-be-held/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) [Explore all 196 Tony Abbott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) ## More Excuse quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [Win without boasting. Lose without excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-payson-terhune/win-without-boasting-lose-without-excuse/) [Albert Payson Terhune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-payson-terhune/) > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Dont leave without a reason, and then try to come back with an excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-leave-without-a-reason-and-then-try-to-come-back-with-an-excuse/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Using, as an excuse, others' failure of common sense is in itself a failure of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/using-as-an-excuse-others-failure-of-common-sense-is-in-itself-a/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [I resolutely believe that respect for diversity is a fundamental pillar in the eradication of racism, xenophobia and intolerance. There is no excuse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rigoberta-menchu/i-resolutely-believe-that-respect-for-diversity-is-a-fundamental/) [Rigoberta Menchu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rigoberta-menchu/) > [I'm not the guy who will sit in a room with somebody who's using a bunch of big words and just act like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-m-not-the-guy-who-will-sit-in-a-room-with-somebody-who-s-using-a/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [Worst Break Up Excuse; 'You deserve so much better.' Translation: They've already moved on whether you like it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/worst-break-up-excuse-you-deserve-so-much-better-translation-they-ve/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lie is an excuse guarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-lie-is-an-excuse-guarded/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Live with No Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyanendra/live-with-no-excuse/) [Gyanendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyanendra/) Browse all 2,435 Excuse quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Look, good government doesn't look for excuses, good government gets on with the job.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Abbott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/look-good-government-doesn-t-look-for-excuses-good-government-gets-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/look-good-government-doesn-t-look-for-excuses-good-government-gets-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/tony-abbott-1939_excuse_look-good-government-doesn-t-look-for-ex_1908772.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/tony-abbott-1939_excuse_look-good-government-doesn-t-look-for-ex_1908772.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/tony-abbott-1939_excuse_look-good-government-doesn-t-look-for-ex_1908772.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Look, good government doesn't look for excuses, good government gets on with the job.” — Tony Abbott", "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": "Tony Abbott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Look, good government doesn't look for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/look-good-government-doesn-t-look-for-excuses-good-government-gets-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/look-good-government-doesn-t-look-for-excuses-good-government-gets-on/#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 } } ] } ```