Andrew Forrest Quotes

Powerful Andrew Forrest for Daily Growth

About Andrew Forrest

Andrew Forrest is an accomplished Australian businessman, philanthropist, and politician, renowned for his significant contributions to the iron ore industry and advocacy on human rights issues. Born on March 19, 1955, in Melbourne, Victoria, Forrest spent most of his early life in the small town of Kambalda, where his father worked as a geologist. This upbringing nurtured his fascination with mining and shaped his future endeavors. Forrest co-founded the mineral exploration company, Mineralogy, in 1995, which discovered some of the world's largest iron ore deposits in Western Australia. This success catapulted him to become one of Australia's richest individuals and led to his entry into politics. He was elected as a Senator for Western Australia from 2016 to 2019, serving under the ticket of the Australian Labor Party. Forrest is also known for his philanthropy through the Minderoo Foundation, which he established in 2001 with his wife Nicola. The foundation focuses on various areas including Indigenous empowerment, human rights, and climate change mitigation. One notable initiative is Walk Free, a global movement to end modern slavery by 2030. In the realm of literature, Forrest has penned two books: "The Richest Man That Ever Lived? The Life and Legacy of Genghis Khan" (2017) and "How to Make a Fortune Out of Nothing – And Still Be Worth Less Than Nothing" (2006). These works reflect his deep interest in history, particularly the lives of influential leaders like Genghis Khan. Forrest's life story is a testament to the power of determination, business acumen, and philanthropic spirit. His contributions to industry, politics, and humanitarian causes continue to shape Australia and inspire others globally.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The greatest threat to the planet is the belief that someone else will save it."

This quote emphasizes personal responsibility in preserving our planet. It suggests that waiting for others, particularly governments or large corporations, to take action on environmental issues may not be enough. Each individual has a role to play in protecting the Earth. If everyone believes that someone else will handle the problem, we may collectively miss the opportunity to make meaningful change. In essence, it encourages proactive and collective action for sustainability.


"We have the solutions in our hands right now. It's up to us to act on them."

This quote emphasizes personal responsibility and proactivity, suggesting that we collectively possess the means to solve the challenges we face (whether environmental, social, or economic). However, it also hints at a call-to-action, urging individuals to step up and implement these solutions rather than remaining passive observers. In essence, the quote encourages an empowered mindset that embraces taking action towards positive change.


"If we don't change the way we live, the way we consume and the way we produce, our children will live in a world of dust."

This quote by Andrew Forrest highlights the urgency for humans to rethink and transform our current lifestyle, consumption patterns, and production methods, or risk leaving future generations an environmentally degraded and barren world. The "world of dust" symbolizes a devastated planet stripped of resources, potentially uninhabitable due to climate change, pollution, deforestation, and other ecological disasters. It underscores the importance of sustainable living and responsible resource management for ensuring a viable future for our children.


"The time is now for decisive action. The future does not belong to those who wait."

This quote by Andrew Forrest emphasizes the urgency and necessity for immediate action in the face of challenges or opportunities. It encourages individuals, communities, and societies to act boldly and decisively, rather than delaying actions until a future that may never come. The message is that procrastination and waiting can lead to missed opportunities and potential setbacks, while prompt and strategic action can pave the way for a more promising future.


"When the last tree is cut, the last fish is caught, and the last river is polluted; when to breathe the air is sickening, you will realize, too late, that wealth is not in bank accounts and that you can't eat money."

This quote by Andrew Forrest underscores the idea that true wealth lies not in monetary possessions, but in the health and sustainability of our natural environment. The analogy of cutting down the last tree, catching the last fish, polluting the last river, and breathing polluted air symbolizes the depletion of Earth's resources and its detrimental impact on human life. The quote suggests that when we exhaust our planet's natural wealth, we will eventually understand that money, which cannot be eaten or breathed, is meaningless without a healthy environment to support life. Essentially, Forrest is urging us to prioritize the preservation of our planet and its resources over materialistic gains, as they ultimately sustain human existence.


I would say to young entrepreneurs and budding philanthropists - are you giving to feel good or do good?

- Andrew Forrest

Young, Feel, Entrepreneurs, Philanthropists

I happen to be a big believer in home ownership. I'm also a big believer that if someone wants to have a crack at the mining industry in Port Hedland, then they should be able to collect their... benefits in Port Hedland even though they are from Alice Springs. It should be mobile.

- Andrew Forrest

Big, Benefits, Springs, Believer

I will always put family first. Every time I haven't, I have regretted it and apologised.

- Andrew Forrest

Time, Will, Always, Regretted

What I would say is governments need assistance to run their organisations more efficiently just like businesses do.

- Andrew Forrest

More, Need, Like, Organisations

Individuals and communities need to clearly tell government if they want parity for First Australians. Only this will overcome the vested interests of governments and administrators and see these practical, inexpensive solutions for what they are: a way to finally achieve results, with the strength of will from each of us.

- Andrew Forrest

Strength, Achieve, Parity, Vested

Tax can be structured in a way that actually encourages investment in infrastructure and encourages investment in Australia from overseas.

- Andrew Forrest

Actually, Encourages, Structured

Wherever we've gone around the world, we've found quite significant gaps: the holy texts, no matter which one you turn to, has ambiguity in it around slavery. That, we knew, was being used as justification by slavers all over the world.

- Andrew Forrest

Turn, Matter, Used, Gaps

I'd like to keep our kids in their schools. I'd like to keep our young men and women in jobs.

- Andrew Forrest

Young, Like, Jobs, Young Men

The teachings of the New Testament are the most valuable guide to the best way to a civil and sustainable society the world has seen.

- Andrew Forrest

New, Sustainable, Best Way, Teachings

If you look hard at it, if you look hard at the bleeding heart attitude to always throw money at issues, throw money at problems, what you're in fact probably saying is you're exercising a prejudicism of low expectations.

- Andrew Forrest

Fact, Bleeding, Always, Low Expectations

I really do think I can make a contribution in helping eliminate the disparity here in Australia and doing my small bit to help eliminate slavery around the world. These are huge issues for our fellow countrymen and our fellows in the world, where slavery is growing at an alarming rate, and it needs to be arrested.

- Andrew Forrest

Small, Doing, Here, Disparity

Disparity is Australia's worst social problem. Thousands of lives are slowly being crushed, while billions are wasted on thousands of little initiatives trying to 'close the gap.'

- Andrew Forrest

Social, Billions, Lives, Disparity

Statistically after six months, if an Indigenous or non-Indigenous person has come off welfare, even long-term welfare, and has stuck in that's job for six months, then they've really broken in their own psychology the welfare reliance mentality. They're up on their own two feet.

- Andrew Forrest

Feet, Own, Welfare, Stuck

The most generous part of your philanthropy could be the time you put in to procure the same results and same outcomes and same returns you demand in business.

- Andrew Forrest

Business, Could, Part, Philanthropy

There are people all over Australia who use their homes as hubs that they travel from, and they encourage their indigenous people to continue to stay there.

- Andrew Forrest

Australia, Over, Use, Indigenous

You don't try and put rockets under prime ministers.

- Andrew Forrest

Try, Prime, Rockets, Ministers

I don't necessarily go to church every week, but I am a Christian, and I believe in God and Jesus Christ.

- Andrew Forrest

Week, Jesus Christ, Christ, I Believe In

I don't see why, if you look at how the Australian culture and psyche is, that we can't be amongst the most generous, from the grassroots up, nations in the world.

- Andrew Forrest

Why, Australian, Psyche, Grassroots

We do need an attitude of leadership in our government which demonstrates faith in major population centres outside of Perth.

- Andrew Forrest

Faith, Need, Which, Population

I'd like to see the University of Western Australia and the other four or five universities in Western Australia really excel through having some of the greatest minds in the world attracted to it.

- Andrew Forrest

Through, Some, Other, Western

All industry, not just the mining industry, can get out and give Aboriginal companies a chance.

- Andrew Forrest

Chance, Give, Companies, Mining

There's so many politicians who have given politics a pretty poor name... their actions have been demonstrated to be part of their over-enthusiasm to get reelected.

- Andrew Forrest

Politics, Pretty, Given, Politicians

When you're asked/told to come to Canberra by your Prime Minister, in the country I grow up in, you obey that.

- Andrew Forrest

Grow, Country, Prime, Obey

If you haven't had a few dents in your resume, you haven't tried.

- Andrew Forrest

Resume, Tried, Had, Few

You cannot afford a world with slavery, which literally takes someone and turns them into a machine.

- Andrew Forrest

Them, Which, Literally, Machine

My greatest love in life is to develop projects. I just get a huge kick out of that. I've been doing it since ever I could.

- Andrew Forrest

Love, Doing, Been, Kick

Australia has always encouraged the little bloke to have a go, the Aussie battler to get up.

- Andrew Forrest

Always, Get, Encouraged, Bloke

Wealthy people in Australia tend to give, and give very quietly.

- Andrew Forrest

Give, Very, Tend, Quietly

We really need to change taxation policy so that it is not skewed against owning more than one house.

- Andrew Forrest

More, Need, Against, Owning

We are not about creating a Forrest dynasty, we're about helping others.

- Andrew Forrest

Creating, Helping, About, Dynasty

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