Australian Prime Minister John Howard had been in office just over a month on April 28, 1996, when a gunman killed 35 people in the Port Arthur Massacre. Howard found himself thrust into the international spotlight as he oversaw the National Firearms Agreement, which included a ban on all semi-automatic weapons and controls on gun ownership. Five years later, on September 11, 2001, Howard found himself in Washington, D.C., witnessing an American tragedy that stretched all the way to the Australian shores. His quotes on Australian identity and liberties reflect his political philosophy in the context of these tumultuous times: Do what is right and necessary, and always speak the truth.