Abortion is the easy way out. It’s hardly surprising that people should choose the most convenient exit from awkward situations.

I'm a politician. I'm not going to get into a whole range of scientific argument with scientists.

I think there is no doubt that the advent of 24/7 news channels, which are voracious in their demand for constant new content, has accelerated the political process. The rise of social media, in addition to talkback, I think has intensified the political process.

The Australian people expect the Government to govern, they don't expect it to make excuses.

I was a very senior minister in the Howard government and I sat around this particular table [in the prime ministerial office] in many discussions. The difference between being a senior minister and the prime minister is that ultimately the buck does stop with the prime minister and in the end the prime minister has to make those critical judgement calls and that's the big difference.

There's always a lot happening. I mean, that's the thing about politics: it's just one damn thing after another!

You cannot win an election without a fight