Face to Face with Kim Hill - David Lange

The only decent way to leave the job of Prime Minister is by a state funeral. And you're then gone, and you're not there to haunt anyone.

– David Lange, early in this interview

I didn't have any bonding with people — I am a loner in that respect. When I was in caucus I was a loner.

– David Lange, early in this interview

The last year's been wonderful for me.

– David Lange on finally revealing his vulnerable side, early in this interview

I was a guy who didn't have mates in the old days ... because it was dangerous to have mates ... I was a very poor friend to some people who wanted to be my friend.

– David Lange, early in this interview

...two occasions in my life when I came to be almost steadily mortal, immutably moral: when I went into surgery, and when I was in a motor racing team.

– David Lange on the upside of no longer maintaining the pretence of being in command, early in this interview

They didn't want to be appeased, and in the end they didn't want to be offended. They just wanted the whole thing to shut up and go away.

– David Lange on relationship with the United States, after going anti-nuclear

...Our relationships with the world at that stage were very awkward indeed. There was one stage where I couldn't visit Washington, I was distinctly unwelcome in London. I found myself very much offside with Australia. Japan was very doubtful about having much to do with me because of the anti-nuclear policy ... Fiji was off-limits. I remember we even got to the extent of having a special phone put in for scrambled phone conversations so that I could keep in touch with our posts abroad.

– David Lange on New Zealand's relationships with the world, after the country went anti-nuclear

I imagine it's like being in a rugby team, and ending up being the lemon boy ... I was stupid not to [quit politics] — I should have gone.

– David Lange on staying on in Parliament for another two terms, after being Prime Minister

...I feel quite fulfilled about what I've done. I mean I'm not haunted by death. I celebrate my times with my daughter ... I was so bad as a father to my first family, because I was never there. And yet with this one, I'm always there.

– David Lange on how his approach to parenthood has changed, near the end of this interview

...the wonderful thing about the United States is that the President has a papal authority. When anything comes to a crisis point, the President is some sort of manifestation of the Trinity; he goes and speaks in those strange little rhythms. He's such a sincere man, he believes everything that's written for him ... Incidentally we're not having any worry about nuclear weapons because he can't pronounce it, so they've dropped the question of nuclear weapons; they're after the weapons of mass destruction.

– David Lange on American President George W Bush

It mattered very much to New Zealand, it was an expression of nationalism. In fact of course it mattered internationally in a way which I suppose we didn't initially comprehend, because [of] the ripple effect of indulging us...if the United States had indulged us, then of course they'd have had problems in Denmark, and they knew. And that's why we had to have an example made of us. Otherwise all sorts of people might have got these anti-nuclear pretensions.

– David Lange on the impact of New Zealand going anti-nuclear