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

Even potential human life needs to be treated with great respect.

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.

Today, we have got more excuses from the government.

People who have put money aside on the basis of a certain set of rules shouldn't have that money raided just because government has got a problem.

To move past fear is a cliche.

In respect of Indonesia, I am determined to be the best possible friend of Indonesia that I can be, consistent with my overriding duty to protect our country. We would never do anything that was damaging to Indonesia, because we want Indonesia to flourish. We want Indonesia to take its rightful place as one of the really important countries of the world, as it will, sooner or later.