WOMAN 1: I really liked the David Paulson Michael Nelson Jagamara portrait. I thought it was amazing.

INTERVIEWER: Why did you like it?

WOMAN 1: I liked it because of the colour and the texture and the way they captured the Aboriginality.

MAN 1: I think my favourite painting was the portrait of Peter Garrett. I think it captured the presence of the man and particularly the composition was very sort of imposing and it also captured a little of his visionary nature and kind of forward looking demeanour.

WOMAN 2: The painting of Ben Quilty.

INTERVIEWER: And why did you like that one the best?

WOMAN 2: Because I thought it was oil colour but actually it's a watercolour. So it's surprising to me.

MAN 2: Number One, Martin Ball, and I liked it best because it was clear, filled the whole picture, there were no distractions and I thought it was very realistic.

WOMAN 3: I liked Peter Hudson's Paul Kelly's portrait. I loved the colour and the texture and I really felt it really captured him and the look of him and I really loved it.

WOMAN 4: My favourite was the Honourable Bob Carr because I really liked the techniques used in it. And the colours.

MAN 3: I liked the artwork by Adam Chang, Brian, the dog and the doorway. I actually liked the colours and the atmosphere he's created there. It's very subtle, very nice. I like it and the open doorway just leaves it open to wonder what's out there.

MAN 4: The People's Choice of course is much more fascinating. The question of why the people choose what they do is something.. there's a PhD thesis in that.