George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Moore, I assume you are referring to some observations that Mr Abbott made during a lecture to a think tank in London last week. I haven't actually read Mr Abbott's speech, but I've seen reports of his remarks, and I actually saw some extracts from his speech on the Insiders program yesterday morning. He made some interesting anthropological observations about people sacrificing goats to volcanoes or something like that, and I note what Mr Abbott had to say. Mr Abbott is entitled to his views. But, Senator Moore, life is too short to read everything that all of one's political colleagues may have to say, no matter how interesting they may be. But you may rest assured, Senator Moore, that the views of the Australian government are the views of the Prime Minister and his cabinet, not the views of a backbencher.