According to Open Australia, during the course of the former Howard Government Tony Abbott was; Minister for Health and Ageing (7 Oct 2003 to 3 Dec 2007), Leader of the House (19 Mar 2002 to 3 Dec 2007), Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (26 Nov 2001 to 7 Oct 2003), Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business (30 Jan 2001 to 26 Nov 2001), Minister for Employment Services (21 Oct 1998 to 30 Jan 2001), Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (11 Mar 1996 to 21 Oct 1998).
He then went on to become Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services, Indigenous Affairs and the Voluntary Sector (6 Dec 2007 to 22 Sep 2008) when the Liberal Party-Nationals Coalition lost government in the 2007 Australian federal election.
This is just a little reminder of the style of (often contradictory) political comment Mr. Abbott's mercurial nature will probably continue to give rise to now that he is Leader of the Opposition.
On July 24 Mr Abbott wrote an article explaining that Mr Turnbull seeking amendments and passing the ETS Bill was "his attempt to save the Coalition from a fight it can't win".
Nov 19, 2009 The Manly Daily
"He is actually managing it rather well," Mr Abbott said in response to Liberal criticism of Mr Turnbull's style.
Dec 1, 2009 The Australian
"No, I won't be challenging for the leadership," Mr Abbott told the Nine Network. "I think Malcolm Turnbull is a very substantial individual. We are very lucky to have him in public life."
Nov 24, 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
"If there is no movement from the [Turnbull] bunker I'll be calling a spill for Monday morning," Mr Abbott said.
Nov 27, 2009 Daily Telegraph
On the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme; "We will seek to refer the legislation to [a Senate] committee for further scrutiny. If we cannot get the support for that course of action we will oppose the legislation in the Senate this week," he said.
Dec 1, 2009 BBC News
On the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme; "Opposing the legislation in the Senate could ultimately make poor policy even worse because the government could negotiate a deal with the Greens."
July 24, 2009 The Sydney Morning Herald
When Santamaria died in 1998, Abbott wrote an obituary in which he claimed that "the DLP is alive and well and living inside the Howard Government".
Nov 27, 2009 Brisbane Times
Liberal frontbencher Tony Abbott doesn't see what all the fuss is about. He says the Dutch have been coping with the same problem for centuries and seem to manage. Alexandra Kirk interviewing Tony Abbott on the subject of rising sea levels.
Oct 27, 2009 ABC The World Today
On reading the Koran; "I'm afraid I got about 70 pages in and I couldn't go any further because, at the risk of sounding a little monocultural, it struck me as the old testament on steroids..."
"When I first came into parliament I was advised that the only response to the question: "do you support the leader?" is "of course I support the elected leader of the party". All parties have leadership issues from time to time, nothing excites journalists more so the usual questions are asked, the standard answers are given and the public draw their own conclusions. I doubt that it will ever be different and I'm not sure that it could or should be different."
Aug 8, 2008 Tony Abbott on his own website at www.tonyabbott.com.au
On Howard Government WorkChoices industrial relations law; "As someone frequently considered "too Catholic" on abortion, the accusation of being "not Catholic enough" on workplace justice was somewhat galling, especially since the Government's aim was to drive unemployment down and wages up. Not that moral kudos was the Government's principal objective. Apart from any intrinsic virtue, success in this area usually helps governments to be re-elected."
July 6, 2007 Tony Abbott on his own website at www.tonyabbott.com.au
Tony Abbott on interjecting during a speech by Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard; "Mr Speaker, I said that she was a liar and I withdraw that."
Mar 26, 2007 Hansard
On Kevin Rudd; "What a pathetic cop-out from the Leader of the Opposition! It is slippery, it is fake, but it is so typical of this man, who is the least experienced person ever to present himself for national leadership in this country. He has never even run a local council, let alone a national economy."
Aug 14, 2007 Hansard
On the abortion drug debate; "I certainly share the concerns that many people have about the number of abortions that are taking place in Australia today. We have something like 100,000 abortions a year, 25 per cent of all pregnancies end in abortion and even the most determined pro-choice advocates these days seem to be rightly concerned at the way that the abortion epidemic has developed."
Nov 1, 2004 ABC Radio AM
During the AWB-Oil for Food scandal; "Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. Points of order are being used clearly by members opposite to completely corrupt this question time and to prevent ministers from quite properly answering the questions that they are asked. I really do think that, if the order of the House is to be maintained, these points of order need to be curtailed."
Feb 15, 2006 Hansard
Thirty-eight times in the last three years Hansard recorded Tony Abbott as; "Mr Abbott interjecting."
Feb 15, 2006 to 22 Oct, 2009 in Open Australia
One hundred and fifty-nine times in the last three years Hansard recorded Tony Abbott rising to his feet "on a point of order".
Feb 7, 2006 to Nov 24, 2009 in Open Australia
Feb 15, 2006 to 22 Oct, 2009 in Open Australia
One hundred and fifty-nine times in the last three years Hansard recorded Tony Abbott rising to his feet "on a point of order".
Feb 7, 2006 to Nov 24, 2009 in Open Australia
Tony Abbott gets kicked out of the House of Representatives twice in six months by the Speaker; "The member for Warringah will leave the chamber for one hour..."
Nov 11, 2008 and May 12 2009 Hansard in Open Australia
