September 14, 2015

In a late night voting session on Monday, the Liberal Party of Australia elected former lawyer and businessman Malcolm Turnbull as its new leader. The Liberal Party is generally conservative on social issues. It favors limited government control over the country’s economy. Turnbull replaced Prime Minister Tony Abbott as the party head, and will soon become prime minister.

Tony Abbott became prime minister of Australia in 2013.

Abbott became prime minister following a 2013 general election. A major focus of his election campaign was to repeal a tax on carbon dioxide emissions introduced in 2012 under Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Abbott argued that the tax, which imposed a fee on greenhouse gas emissions produced by the country’s highest polluting companies, would be bad for the economy and result in higher energy costs. In July 2014, the Australian Parliament repealed the carbon tax.

Abbott worked to expand Australia’s economy. His government signed free trade agreements with China, Japan, and South Korea to increase Australia’s exports of agricultural and other goods.

Abbott’s approval rating fell in 2015, and Turnbull called a party election to challenge for the leadership role. Turnbull accused Abbott of not successfully guiding Australia’s economic policies. Liberal Party members of Parliament voted 54-44 in favor of Turnbull, who had previously led the party from 2008 to 2009.

July 22, 2014

The Australian Senate last week voted 39 to 32 to repeal the country’s so-called carbon tax, fulfilling a campaign promise of conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott. The House of Representatives voted earlier in the week to repeal the highly contentious measure. The tax–passed by then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s Labor Party to combat climate change–required large companies to pay for carbon dioxide emissions. It was devised to force Australia’s biggest air polluters to cut such emissions, setting a price of $23 Australian ($21.50 U.S.) per metric ton of carbon dioxide when it went into effect in 2012.

Abbott, who became prime minister in 2013, characterized the measure as a “useless, destructive tax, which damaged jobs, which hurt families’ cost of living and which didn’t actually help the environment.” Brendan Pearson, head of the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA), issued a statement that the removal of “the world’s biggest carbon tax is an important step towards regaining the competitive edge that Australia lost over the last decade.” MCA represents the minerals industry, both nationally and internationally.

Australia's thriving mining industry produces large amounts of bauxite, coal, copper, diamonds, iron ore, lead, opals, and zinc. The industry strongly supported the repeal of the carbon tax. (© Mike James, Photo Researchers)

The leader of Australia’s Labor Party, Bill Shorten, responded to the repeal by branding Abbott an “environmental vandal.” “Today, Tony Abbott has made Australia the first country in the world to reverse action on climate change,” declared Shorten.

Additional World Book articles:

• Liberal Party
• Australia 2013 (a Back in Time article)
• Australian prime minister 2013 (a Back in Time article)
• Carbon Offsets: Reducing Your Footprint (a special report)
• What We Know About Global Warming (a special report)

September 18, 2013

Tony Abbott was sworn in as Australia’s prime minister today. Earlier this month, Abbott, the leader of the Liberal Party, defeated Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the leader of the Australian Labor Party, in federal elections. (Contrary to its name, the Liberal Party is a center-right political party.)  In remarks released before the swearing-in ceremony, Abbott said, “Today is not just a ceremonial day. The Australian people expect us to get straight down to business and that’s exactly what this government will do.”

Tony Abbott (The Office of Tony Abbott MHR)

Abbott ran on a platform that included promises to repeal Australia’s controversial carbon tax; end illegal immigrants entering the country; and place the national budget on a sound footing for a “believable surplus.” Abbott said the repeal of the carbon tax, which he argued had boosted energy taxes and cost jobs, would become his first legislative effort. To replace the tax, he plans to offer government subsidies to businesses and farmers to lower their carbon emissions. The new government also plans to eliminate the position of science minister, two government agencies that dealt with climate change, and a program that offers government loans for the development of “green” technologies.

Abbott’s government also plans to “stop the boats”–that is, impose strong measures to prevent people seeking asylum from entering Australia from Indonesia. Among these measures are plans to force vessels carrying refugees to return to Indonesia when safe to do so and allow asylum seekers already in Australia to obtain only temporary visas that must be regularly renewed.

Political observers noted that Abbott may face difficulties in getting his legislative program enacted by Parliament. Although his coalition won a majority of seats in Australia’s lower house, the control of the Senate remains uncertain as vote counting continues. If the Liberals’ total falls short, Abbott will be forced to work with other parties to pass legislation.

Additional World Book articles:

• Australia 2010 (a Back in Time article)
• Australia 2012 (a Back in Time article)

September 10, 2013

Tony Abbott, the leader of Australia’s Liberal Party, has claimed victory for the Coalition in federal elections. The Coalition consists of the Liberal Party and the National Party. (Contrary to its name, the Liberal Party is a center-right political party.)  Abbott defeated Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who became prime minister in June, after ousting then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard as leader of the Australian Labor Party. Rudd had also served as prime minister from 2007 to 2010.

Tony Abbott  (The Office of Tony Abbott MHR)

The Coalition will hold 91 seats in the next Parliament, compared with the Labor Party’s 54 seats. “From today, I declare that Australia is under new management and that Australia is once more open for business,” stated Abbott, repeating his election pledges–the repeal of a controversial carbon tax; an end to illegal immigrants entering the country; and an effort to place the national budget on a sound footing for a “believable surplus.”

Additional World Book articles:

• Australia 2010 (a Back in Time article)
• Australia 2012 (a Back in Time article)