There is a tendency to try to dumb everything down and turn everything into a one-paragraph press release or even less, just a slogan.

We learn from every natural disaster. Whether it's a fire or a flood, we learn something from it so we can respond to the next one better.

If you try to come to Australia by boat, even if we think you are the best person in the world, even if you are a Nobel Prize winning genius, we will not let you in.

You cannot keep on saying oh, you know, talking about disrespecting women as just being politically correct or it's not a big deal or brushing things off. You've got to be aware of it.

The most effective check and balance on government has been an independent press which maintains its credibility by ensuring that its criticism is balanced and based on fact – based indeed on solid journalistic work.

Government will not nominate the former Labor prime minister [Kevin Rudd] to be the UN's next secretary-general.

The royal commissions are successful and effective when they have a focused terms of reference and can do the job quickly and report. And then action can be taken.