I can't promise that I won't continue to embarrass people.

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.

I think that the best things that governments can do for productivity is not whack on new taxes and, if we can get institutions like schools and hospitals functioning better, well that's obviously good for the overall productiveness of our society.

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

A government that understands the limits of power as well as its potential.

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 have a strong and credible broadband policy because the man who has devised it, the man who will implement it virtually invented the Internet in this country.