Malcolm Turnbull is standing by Tony Abbott's decisions on same-sex marriage and climate change after being sworn in as the nation's 29th prime minister.
Mr Turnbull's commissioning at Government House in Canberra on Tuesday was delayed as Nationals MPs sought a better deal under the renegotiated coalition agreement and Mr Abbott held off on making his first public comment after losing a Liberal partyroom ballot.
In his first question time as prime minister, Mr Turnbull faced a series of Labor questions about where he stood on key policy positions held by his predecessor.
He told them he would stand by the decision to hold a post-election plebiscite on same-sex marriage, despite previously calling for a free vote among coalition MPs before the next election.
Mr Turnbull, who lost the Liberal leadership in 2009 over his support for carbon pricing, said he believed the government's "direct action" climate plan was the right way to go.
"We are talking about a very specific policy that was carefully put together by the minister for the environment, that was carefully considered by the government and it is working," he said.
Answering a Labor question about university fee deregulation, which the coalition has been unable to get through parliament, he said he supported "all of the policies and all of the measures" of the Abbott government.
Labor leader Bill Shorten said the leader may have changed but the government's unpopular policies remained.
"The question which Australians have is what does Mr Turnbull believe in?" Mr Shorten said.
"The burden is upon Mr Turnbull to prove ... he believes in something beyond his own promotion."
Labor also seized on a comment by Mr Turnbull before Monday's leadership contest in which he accused Mr Abbott of not being successful in providing "economic leadership" or delivering business confidence.
Treasurer Joe Hockey, who is expected to lose the job in a reshuffle, said the government was "doing a hell of a lot better than a very bad Labor government".
The Nationals squeezed some fresh promises out of the new prime minister, including responsibility for water policy and a fresh look at an "effects test" to protect small business against the misuse of market power by dominant players, like big supermarkets.
Mobile phone black spots will also be addressed and funding provided to regional areas with high youth unemployment.
State premiers called on Mr Turnbull, who as minister was a regular user of buses and trains, to pledge more money for public transport.
Mr Abbott said in a brief statement he hoped Mr Turnbull would continue steps towards recognising indigenous people in the constitution and dealing with the problems of ice and domestic violence.
The new prime minister has taken an instant lead in the opinion the polls.
A snap SMS Morgan survey published late Tuesday afternoon showed 70 per cent of voters preferred him as prime minister, well ahead of the 24 per cent who backed Mr Shorten.
Mr Turnbull was due to chair his first cabinet and full ministry meeting on Tuesday night.
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