I would not want to see any relaxation of the law prohibiting human cloning.

A presumption of any fact is, properly, an inferring of that fact from other facts that are known; it is an act of reasoning; and much of human knowledge on all subjects is derived from this source.

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.

I mean there are many, many people in all sorts of different countries who don't have a great life, who are subject to injustice. Are we obliged to take all of them who come here? I think the answer is 'Not necessarily.'

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 will be no surprises and no excuses from a Coalition government, Barrie.

I am extremely unwilling that we should take upon ourselves to exercise a jurisdiction which the law does not vest in us.