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Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd keep it civil at the Lodge.Credit:Andrew Meares

"It's a ... you and Margie will find this a good place to make a home,"Rudd,still caretaker prime minister,assured his replacement,yet to be sworn in.

"Well it's an honour to be here - an extraordinary honour,very few people obviously have that honour,"Abbott replied,before trailing off,"and yeah;very interesting."

Rudd stuck to the family theme - usually a safe ice-breaker - by asking whether Abbott's three adult daughters would be living at The Lodge too.

"The short answer is yes,"Abbott said,"because they don't want to leave home until such time as they get married."

Before Abbott had finished the sentence,Rudd chuckled."I - I know that feeling."

They then turned their mind to The Lodge - a place that is about to undergo repairs and therefore is unlikely to house Abbott and wife Margie - or even their daughters - for at least a year. (Abbott may follow in the footsteps of John Howard and settle into Sydney's Kirribilli House.)

Rudd talked about the terrific gardens;Abbott made the somewhat obvious observation:"I've never really explored it."While Abbott had visited for the odd prime ministerial dinner or drinks function he not had much chance to mosey around,"but all in good time,as they say".

That,they decided,was enough small talk.

"Be good,"Rudd urged the waiting media as he prepared to take Abbott inside for a 30-minute chat away from the cameras."We're going to have a cup of tea."

And with that,they had to zip.

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