Paul Hasluck, The Chance of Politics, 1997.''The Chance of Politics, p. 135.
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"When he went to some Asian country for the first time and was received with honour and goodwill he imagined that his own 'instant diplomacy' had immediately created the goodwill and that the honour was due to a personal diplomatic triumph, while of course we knew that the goodwill had resulted from years of conscious, careful and calculated effort by the Australian Government, and its officers in a succession of situations."
— Paul Hasluck
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets ""When he went to some Asian country for the first time and was received with honour and goodwill he imagined that his own 'instant diplomacy' had immediately created the goodwill and that the honour was due to a personal diplomatic triumph, while of course we knew that the goodwill had resulted from years of conscious, careful and calculated effort by the Australian Government, and its officers in a succession of situations."" in the context of "Paul Hasluck, The Chance of Politics, 1997.''The Chance of Politics, p. 135." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Harold Holt" (Quotes about Holt)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Harold Holt
Harold Edward Holt (5 August 1908 – 17 December 1967) was the 17th Prime Minister of Australia. A Liberal MP since 1935, he replaced Robert Menzies as prime minister in January 1966. He was the first Australian prime minister born in the 20th century, and was seen as a moderniser, winning over the public with a much more open leadership style than his predecessor. Holt engaged with Asia to an extent not previously seen, and reaffirmed Australia's commitment to the War in Vietnam. On 17 December 1967, Holt disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach, Victoria. His death has entered Australian folklore.
About Harold Holt
Harold Edward Holt (5 August 1908 – 17 December 1967) was the 17th Prime Minister of Australia. A Liberal MP since 1935, he replaced Robert Menzies as prime minister in January 1966. He was the first Australian prime minister born in the 20th century, and was seen as a moderniser, winning over the public with a much more open leadership style than his predecessor. Holt engaged with Asia to an extent not previously seen, and reaffirmed Australia's commitment to the War in Vietnam. On 17 December 1967, Holt disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach, Victoria. His death has entered Australian folklore.
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