Tony Abbotts rap sheet a work in progress

2015
15
Sep

"My pledge today is to make this change as easy as I can.

"There will be no wrecking, no undermining, and no sniping. I've never
leaked or backgrounded against anyone. And I certainly won't
start now."

26
Sep

Paul Kelly and Dennis Shanahan in The Australian:

- Abbott said he believed he had laid a solid foundation for the
Coalitions re-election. Whatever else the changes of last week
were about, they plainly werent about policy.
- The fact that the new Prime Minister and the new Treasurer are
saying exactly the same thing today that the former prime
minister and former treasurer were saying only a fortnight ago
shows that we got it right.
- Interestingly, just as nothing has changed on economic policy in
the last fortnight, nothings changed on climate change policy in
the last fortnight, nothings changed in respect of same-sex
marriage in the last fortnight and nothings changed in respect of
border protection in the last fortnight, and I dont imagine
anything will change in national security policy more broadly.

29
Sep

Abbott interview with Ray Hadley:

- Sure therell be difficult times, sure therell be up and downs,
but people of character and steadiness dont panic at the polls,
they stick with good policy and the interesting thing is that no
policy has changed since the change of prime minister.
- If you listen to the Prime Minister and the Treasurer, theyre
even using exactly the same phrases that Joe Hockey and I were
using just a fortnight ago.
- I can appreciate that there are a lot of people out there who
dismayed by what happened but ...it would be even worse if we
were to end up with a CFMEU-dominated government, which we
could well at the next election if people do not stay in and even if
they have to do it through gritted teeth, support the Coalition.

27 Oct

Thatcher Lecture
- Our moral obligation is to receive people fleeing for their lives.
Its not to provide permanent residency to anyone and everyone
who would rather live in a prosperous Western country than their
own. Thats why the countries of Europe, while absolutely obliged
to support the countries neighbouring the Syrian conflict, are
more-than-entitled to control their borders against those who are
no longer fleeing a conflict but seeking a better life.
- This means turning boats around, for people coming by sea. It
means denying entry at the border, for people with no legal right
to come; and it means establishing camps for people who
currently have nowhere to go.
- It will require some force; it will require massive logistics and
expense; it will gnaw at our consciences yet it is the only way
to prevent a tide of humanity surging through Europe and quite
possibly changing it forever.
- We are rediscovering the hard way that justice tempered by

mercy is an exacting ideal as too much mercy for some

necessarily undermines justice for all.
15
Nov

Samantha Maiden article in Sunday Tele re Paris attacks

- Abbott made comments before Turnbull held press conference
- Said there was a genuine risk terrorists were hiding among the
flood of refugees fleeing Islamic state in Europe and taking
advantage of Europes open borders.
- This is right. I dont think we can leap to the conclusion that the
people responsible for this in Paris are recent refugee arrivals
but it is absolutely crystal clear that whether they are recent
arrivals, whether they are second generation Parisians, the
problem of Islamist extremism is severe.

17
Nov

Abbott column: Paris attacks: we must boost military role in

Middle East
- Australia should be prepared to contribute more to a military
campaign to destroy this terrorist caliphate on the ground in
Syria and Iraq.
- This could involve less restrictive targeting rules for airstrikes and
the deployment of special forces on the ground in support of
local forces, similar to the 2001 campaign where the Northern
Alliance defeated the Taliban in Afghanistan.
- The G20 in Turkey is the obvious place and now is the obvious
time to start to put an effective international military coalition
together.

9 Dec

Abbott interview with Paul Murray on Sky News:

- Islam needs a reformation
- All cultures are not equal
- Abbott will correct the record when its being falsified

11
Dec

Abbott interview with Alan Jones

- called on the world to escalate campaign against IS
- One of the responsibilities of being an ex-prime minister is, from
time to time, to speak out sensibly on important subjects

2016
20 Jan

Andrew Clennell article in the Daily Tele Liberal sources said

Abbott is being urged by his former chief of staff Peta Credlin to have
another crack in the hope he might reclaim the top job.

27 Jan

Paul Kelly article in The Australian:

- Abbott is planning a series of articles to expound upon and
defend his policy record as prime minister. They will begin in
March with a detailed account of his economic policies.
- Abbott has told colleagues he wants to ensure the conservatives
in the party do not feel left behind and that John Howards view
of the Liberal Party as a broad church is retained.

28 Jan

Speech to Alliance Defending Freedom in defence of traditional

marriage
- We need less ideology and more common sense; we need less
impatience and more respect; we need less shouting at people
and more engagement with them
- Its only in recent times, that marriage has been about romantic
love. Marriage arose as a way of dealing with human
imperfection. It was to keep men more committed and less likely
to abandon their wives and children and I doubt that we have

become so flawless that this no longer matters.

In Australia, just a decade ago, almost unanimously, the
parliament affirmed that marriage was between a man and a
woman.
Now, there are many MPs who want men to be able to marry men
and women to be able to marry women if thats their choice. But
there are also many on the other side who dont assume that this
generation is more enlightened than its forbears and who are
reluctant to change what was taken for granted for thousands of
years.
Not long ago, most gay activists rejected marriage as an
oppressive institution. Now, they demand as their right what they
recently scorned; they demand what was unimaginable in all
previous times and still is in most places.
They are seeking what has never been and expecting others to
surrender what always has. Its a massive ask; for me, an ask too
far.
We shouldnt try to change something without understanding it,
without grasping why it is that one man and one woman open to
children until just a very few years ago has always and
everywhere been considered the essence of marriage and the
heart of family.
Of course, we cant shirk our responsibilities to the future; but
lets also respect and appreciate values and institutions that
have stood the test of time and pass them on, undamaged, when
thats best.

29 Jan

Tweets photo with Henry Kissinger

30 Jan

Tweets photo with John McCain

31 Jan

Simon Benson article in the Daily Tele:

- reports Abbott met privately with US President Obama at an
exclusive dinner
- reports Abbott also held secret talks with Obamas spy boss
(James Clapper) and was urged by the Americans to maintain a
role as a global voice on critical issues such as terrorism.
- He also met the elder statesman of US foreign affairs, former
secretary of state Henry Kissinger, as well as the president of the
Council on Foreign Relations Richard Haass and former US
Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

9 Feb

Catherine McGregor article in Daily Tele:

Quotes Abbott warning Turnbull not to soften the Governments stance
on boat arrivals or the need to defeat IS, claiming the base was on
heightened alert, watching for signs of that softening. So far they see
continuity in policy and are not flirting with more extreme alternatives.

22
Feb

Abbott column in The Australian: Why we need to beef up

defence
- No government can be economically responsible at the expense
of national security. Almost certainly, the defence white paper
will reiterate the Abbott governments commitment to lift
defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP; but the real test of the
Turnbull governments seriousness will be timely decisions on
naval shipbuilding, particularly future frigates and the next
generation of submarines.

26

Tweets photo of himself addressing Japan Institute of International

Feb

Affairs
- tries to influence Australias submarine building contract
- takes swipe at China for having shared interests but not shared
values with Australia
- divulges that over the past 18 months, Australia has quietly
increased our own air and naval patrols in the South China Sea.

26
Feb

Simon Benson article in Daily Tele covering the Japan speech:

Reports Abbott had revealed the defence white paper released this week
by Turnbull was unchanged from the document he was about to release
before he lost the leadership, and that Abbott publicly backed a
Japanese bid to build 12 new submarines announced in the white paper,
claiming it was in Australias strategic interests.

27
Feb

Paul Kelly preview in The Australian of Abbotts upcoming

article in Quadrant: The Economic Case for the Abbott
government
- Quotes Abbott: The challenge for Prime Minister Turnbull will be
to retain his popularity once he has a credible narrative of his
own

29
Feb

Simon Benson article in Daily Tele:

While PM Malcolm Turnbull tosses a coin ex-PM Tony Abbott dines with
Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in Tokyo

29
Feb

Abbott intervenes during party room meeting to warn against changes

to negative gearing and urges Turnbull to focus instead on the tight
spending controls that dominated the governments 2014 budget

1 Mar

Abbott tells The Australian he agrees with ex-Army chief that SAS should
be sent in to destroy IS
- Its what I suggested late last year.
- Im disappointed that the government did not respond more
positively to the United States request for special operations
troops on the ground.

1 Mar

Abbott comments to The Australian on the Safe Schools program:

Its not an anti-bullying program, its a social engineering program. Its
funding should be terminated.

2 Mar

Greg Sheridan article in The Australian re leaked drafts of

defence white paper:
- Leak included the spending forecasts and tables which were to
be included in the white paper prepared under the AbbottAndrews regime. Sheridan claimed the drafts show the
timetable for building new submarines had been delayed for a
decade
- Abbott quoted: Im not just disappointed, Im flabbergasted at
this decision

2 Mar

In response to suggestions he might have been responsible for leaking

the defence white paper drafts, Abbott released a statement saying: "I
don't leak; I don't background against colleagues. If I've got something
to say, I say it."

4 Mar

Campaigning in Tasmania, Abbott trialled a new slogan, referring to

Labors five new taxes: a housing tax, a wealth tax, a seniors
tax, a carbon tax and a smokers tax.
- Knowing that Turnbull Government still considering its own version of

housing tax and seniors tax, as well as adopting the smokers tax
5 Mar

Paul Kelly article in The Australian:

- amid mounting alarm in the Liberal Party about Abbotts
aggressive defence of his legacy, the former PM has sent a
message of assurance to Liberal MPs and supporters worried that
the governments election campaign will be derailed by disunity.
- The Abbott message is as follows: I intend to defend the legacy
of the Abbott government and, as a former prime minister, I will
speak out in defending that legacy.
- I will speak in the partyroom on issues where members have a
right to put their views.
- However, plainly, I believe that there is a vital obligation upon
us as Liberals to win the coming election campaign. Whatever
might be my concerns about the Turnbull government, they pale
in comparison with the prospect of a Shorten Labor government.

7 Mar

Media release on Savva book Includes reference to Labors five new

taxes

11
Mar

Facebook post: Theres never been a more exciting time to visit Edge
Environment in Manly

14
Mar

Abbott addresses local party members, who boo when Turnbull

Government is mentioned.

17
Mar
20
Mar

Abbott signs Safe Schools petition

21
Mar

Abbott interview with Paul Murray from London:

- Its very easy for me to campaign for the re-election of the
Turnbull government because the Turnbull government is running
on the Abbott governments record and its a very strong record.
- The election will all be about a government that wants to create
jobs versus a Labor Party which is all about clobbering our
economy with five new or increased taxes."

24
Mar

Simon Benson article in Daily Tele re meeting with British PM,

including photo with Cameron

25
Mar

Tweets photo with David Cameron, published previous day in Simon

Benson article

26
Mar

Paul Kelly preview in The Australian of Abbotts upcoming

article in Quadrant: The National Security Case for the Abbott
Government
- Abbott stands by hard line on need for reform of Islam: until
such time as there is no longer a death to the infidels strand in
Islam, then Brussels points to our future. We need a reformed
Islam.
- Criticises Turnbull Government rejection of US call for allies to
expand efforts in the Middle East

27
Mar

Samantha Maiden article in the Sunday Tele:

- Abbott will launch his own DIY national election tour,
campaigning in marginal seats across Australia, after the Liberal
Party failed to organise him a formal role.

Tweets photo as a member of Ukraine President Poroshenkos

International Advisory Council

Abbott is already fielding requests to deploy to NSW,

Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern
Territory with some MPs grumbling Malcolm Turnbull isnt
spending enough time helping marginal seat MPs with
fundraising.
The Prime Ministers Office and Liberal Party director Tony Nutt
have not been in touch with Abbott to organise a formal role in
the looming campaign.