Leadership Quote by John Hewson

A politician doesn’t admit “we’ve lost sight” unless the loss is already politically costly. John Hewson’s line is crafted as a confession without a culprit: the passive, collective “we” spreads responsibility across governments, parties, bureaucracies, even the electorate. It’s accountability language that avoids an indictment, which is exactly why it lands. Hewson signals seriousness while keeping the door open for coalition-building, rebranding, or policy correction.

“Role in the region” is strategic shorthand. It invokes foreign policy posture, trade priorities, security alliances, and diplomatic tone without naming the flashpoints that would instantly polarize the room. The phrase implies drift: not a single bad decision, but a slow, comfortable forgetting of what Australia (and its leaders) are supposed to do in a neighborhood that doesn’t stay quiet just because Canberra is distracted.

The sharper subtext sits in “our colleagues in the region.” Calling neighboring states “colleagues” is deliberate de-escalation. It rebukes any reflexive paternalism or transactional thinking and suggests that relationships have been downgraded to talking points, photo ops, or crisis management. It’s also an implicit warning about reputation: if you stop treating regional partners as peers, you eventually get treated as irrelevant.

Contextually, this reads like a critique of inward-looking politics and short-termism. It frames re-engagement not as altruism but as realism: regional standing is a form of national infrastructure, and neglect doesn’t announce itself until you need it.