"The essence of a good speech is that the speaker should have something to say which he is resolved to convey to his listeners in the simplest, most intelligible, and most persuasive language."
-- Sir Robert Menzies

'If you want to govern a free people successfully for four terms, here's how.'
-- John O'Sullivan.

John Howard could convey more in a single speech than lesser politicians articulate in a lifetime.

Through tragedy, discord and triumph, he addressed the mood of the nation with uncommon good sense.

This selection is a reminder of the values and conviction that made our second longest serving prime minister such a persuasive orator.

Editor David Furse-Roberts is Research Fellow at the Menzies Research Centre. He holds a PhD in history from the University of New South Wales and is the editor of Menzies: The Forgotten Speeches.