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.

The last thing Australia needs right now is instability and uncertainty.

The climate change argument is absolute crap

Part of my role, I suppose, is to run government business in the House of Representatives, and try to ensure that people know exactly what's going on in the Chamber is an important part of that.

Political parties don't work when people just announce what they are doing and expect everyone else to follow.

I am not being negative, I am simply being factual when I say Kevin Rudd is the best friend the people smugglers have ever had

There are tens, perhaps hundreds of millions of people living in poverty and danger who might readily seek to enter a Western country if the opportunity is there.