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.

If consulted by friends about marital dramas, I always encourage the singles to marry, the married to stick together, the neglectful and wayward to renew their loving commitment and the wronged to forgive.

On balance, after weighing the arguments, I believe that the time has come for Australia to create a new sovereign wealth fund.

China and India will take the global leadership on climate change: they are suffering for it.

I'm sick of the cover-ups, I'm sick of the lies, and so are the bloody veterans, that come out daily of the department's mouth.

We will certainly have to rethink the way in which we design and protect places where large numbers of Australians and indeed this will happen around the world.

Anyone who thinks it's smart to cut immigration is sentencing Australia to poverty.