There are some issues where ministers should come and talk to the prime minister, if the prime minister hasn't already talked to them. Any issue which a minister thinks is going to be profoundly controversial, where we do not have a clear existing position, it is important that there be a conversation between the minister and the prime minister. I think they all understand that and I think it is working very well.

Well, I'm not saying that an emissions tax is ever going to be good policy.

The argument [behind climate change] is absolute crap. However, the politics of this are tough for us. Eighty per cent of people believe climate change is a real and present danger.

We will be a consultative, collegial government. No surprises, no excuses. That's what you'll get under the Coalition.

There is much to be said for an emissions trading scheme. It was, after all, the mechanism for emission reduction ultimately chosen by the Howard government.

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

I have close family members as well as lots of close friends who are gay. Many of them strongly support gay marriage.