Anthony John 'Tony' Abbott
Tony Abbott (b.1957) became Australia’s 28th Prime Minister on 18 September after the Liberal/National Party Coalition won the 2013 federal election.Tony Abbott was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1994 for the seat of Warringah, having previously been a journalist and later Press Secretary to Liberal leader John Hewson. In 1996 he became Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs, and in 1998 was made Minister for Employment Services and presided over the development of Job Network. He entered Cabinet in 2001 as Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business, at the same time becoming Leader of the House. In 2003 he became Minister for Health, and in that role introduced the Medicare Safety Net and the capping of annual out-of-pocket medical expenses for Medicare cardholders. Upon the Coalition’s defeat in 2007 he became Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, resigning in 2009 in protest over Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull’s support for the Rudd government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. He challenged Turnbull for party leadership and won, and led the Coalition to a narrow defeat in 2010.
On 14 September 2015, Tony Abbott was defeated in a leadership challenge by Malcolm Turnbull with 44 votes to Turnbull’s 54. Abbott resigned as prime minister the following day and Turnbull was appointed to succeed him by the Governor-General, General Sir Peter Cosgrove.
Events
Tony Abbott becomes Prime Minister
The Liberal/National Party coalition wins the 2013 federal election and Tony Abbott replaces Kevin Rudd as Australia’s 28th Prime Minister. Tony Abbott was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1994, having previously been a journalist and later Press Secretary to Liberal leader John Hewson. In 1996 he became Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs, and in 1998 was made Minister for Employment Services and presided over the development of Job Network. He entered Cabinet in 2001 as Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business, at the same time becoming Leader of the House. In 2003 he became Minister for Health, and in that role introduced the Medicare Safety Net and the capping of annual out-of-pocket medical expenses for Medicare cardholders. Upon the Coalition’s defeat in 2007 he became Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, resigning in 2009 in protest over Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull’s support for the Rudd government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. He challenged Turnbull for party leadership and won, and led the Coalition to a narrow defeat in 2010.
On 14 September 2015, Tony Abbott was defeated in a leadership challenge by Malcolm Turnbull with 44 votes to Turnbull’s 54. Abbott resigned as prime minister the following day and Turnbull was appointed to succeed him by the Governor-General, General Sir Peter Cosgrove.
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