Federal Attorney-General George Brandis has asked the ACT Government not to give effect to its new laws until their constitutional validity is determined by the High Court.

Health Minister Greg Hunt claims advice from the Therapeutic Goods Administration states that up to 100 lives a year could be saved by making codeine products prescription-only. But the NSW Pharmacy Guild says there's no evidence to support this.

Immigration Minister David Coleman has criticised the so-called "medevac bill", claiming the legislation requires a "very, very low threshold" for bringing refugees and asylum seekers to Australia from Manus Island and Nauru.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann claims scrapping the mining tax would improve the budget position by $13.8 billion.

Liberal Treasurer Peter Gutwein claims the impact of taking poker machines out of pubs and clubs would cost thousands of jobs.

Treasurer Joe Hockey is arguing for an increase in Australia's pension age to 70, saying one in three babies born today is likely to live to 100.

Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane claims gas supply problems are looming in NSW because there has been insufficient progress in developing its coal seam gas industry.

The Morrison Government has argued Labor's controversial plan to scrap refundable franking credits on dividends from shares is unfair. Assistant Treasurer Stuart Robert says the plan will overwhelmingly hit low and middle-income earners, claiming that 84

Education Minister Christopher Pyne claims that without deregulation Australia's universities will slide into mediocrity and be overtaken by Asian competitors.

The Government has responded to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the Middle East by announcing Australia will take an additional 12,000 refugees fleeing Syria and Iraq in 2015-16, which Foreign Minister Julie Bishop claims amounts to the single larges