If people are going to do things which have certain consequences that they would rather avoid, they should do whatever they need to avoid the consequences.

We are naturally reluctant as a peace-loving people to reach out to far-away conflicts but, as we know, this conflict has been reaching out to us for months now.

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

Voluntary paid maternity leave: yes; compulsory paid maternity leave: over this Government’s dead body, frankly. It just won’t happen.

I'm focused on doing the job the treasurer should do.I don't respond to gossip.

I feel a little uncomfortable at being asked the sorts of questions that other Catholics in public life tend not to be asked.

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.