“I suppose they knew there was this possibility that their marriages might fall foul of the high court and obviously it’s disappointing for them. Let’s see what the future holds.”
- #wikipedia
- #quote
- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
- #corroborated
Figure timeline
Tony Abbott
Anthony John Abbott is an Australian politician who served as the 28th prime minister of Australia from 2013 to 2015, holding office as the leader of the Liberal Party. He was the member of Parliament (MP) for the New South Wales division of Warringah from 1994 to 2019 and is the current president of the Liberal Party.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
politics · Prime Minister of Australia from 2013 to 2015 · politician · also Tony Abbott, Anthony John Abbott, Anthony John "Tony" Abbott, Abbott
Born 4 November 1957 · Q348577
94 published statements · 0 followers
See & hear
Photos & media
14 photos · 1 audio · 1 video
Video
Announcement of ADF operations against ISIL by PM Abbott in Canberray
Listen
Prime Minister the Hon Tony Abbott MP's video message to Latin America Down Under 2014
Media from Wikimedia Commons, hotlinked at the source under its own licence — see each file for author and terms.
Live now
In the news
Pulling headlines from trusted outlets — this usually takes a few seconds
Checking the wires…
Feed scan
These are live links, not archived citations — they only join the timeline once a collect run verifies and archives them.
Live pulse
Recent highlights
Most recent outstanding titles, awards, and quotes
- Quote
- Quote
It is an interesting time to see the knights and dames coming back. It’s good to see the broad acceptance of it in the community today,
85%The GuardianSource
2026· 20 entries
“It is an interesting time to see the knights and dames coming back. It’s good to see the broad acceptance of it in the community today,”
- #wikipedia
- #quote
- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
- #corroborated
“The priesthood gives someone the power to consecrate bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. It doesn”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
“providing additional recognition to what might be thought of as traditional marriage”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
“Leadership changes are never easy for our country. My pledge today is to make this change as easy as I can. There will be no wrecking, no undermining, and no sniping. I”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
“Isis is at war with Australia.”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
“foreign policy should have a Jakarta rather than a Geneva focus”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
“s case against the Gillard government”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
“that is an impertinent question”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
Brisbane Times: ‘I’ll spare you the rest’: Listen to Tony Abbott’s Tom Jones cover
- #news
- #headline
The Age: ‘It’s not unusual’: Abbott channels Tom Jones at Liberal fundraiser
- #news
- #headline
SMH.com.au: Watch: Tony Abbott performs Tom Jones cover at Liberal fundraiser
- #news
- #headline
news24.com.au: Today’s News Headlines: Tony Abbott urges Albanese to apologise over ‘melons’ comment
- #news
- #headline
ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Tony Abbott sent in to woo back lost Liberals in hotly contested seat
ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting CorporationModerate-trust source1 sourceLive sourceArchived
- #news
- #headline
news24.com.au: ‘Be man enough’: Tony Abbott demands Albanese apologise to Japan PM
- #news
- #headline
ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation: VIDEO: Tony Abbott makes suppository gaffe.
ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting CorporationModerate-trust source1 sourceLive sourceArchived
- #news
- #headline
The Guardian: Assistant multicultural affairs minister ‘appalled’ by Tony Abbott’s anti-immigration video – as it happened
- #news
- #headline
Public attention spiked: 4,744 Wikipedia readers in one day, 7.2× the usual 660, with 3 article edits. Editors noted: Fixed up link for President of the Liberal Party
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #attention
- #spike
- #pageviews
Reported claimRated False. There's no record of Mr Abbott undergoing surgery or appearing in the claimed debates. · AAP
AAP rated the claim “Former prime minister Tony Abbott debated his opponents in parliament and on TV after undergoing "major surgery."” False. There's no record of Mr Abbott undergoing surgery or appearing in the claimed debates..
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
- #fact-check
- #rated
- #claim-about-figure
Was elected as the Federal President of the Liberal Party, a primarily administrative role within the party
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2025· 2 entries
Reported claimRated Misleading. A ‘no’ campaign group was granted tax deductibility status but withdrew its application. · AAP
Claimed: “The federal government has given tax deductibility for donations to the voice's ‘yes’ campaign but not the ‘no’ campaign.” — rated Misleading. A ‘no’ campaign group was granted tax deductibility status but withdrew its application. by AAP.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
- #fact-check
- #rated
- #claim-by-figure
Abbott was instrumental in encouraging Jacinta Price to run for the deputy leadership after the federal election, believing it would energise the party's base
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2024· 1 entry
Abbott declined to be interviewed for ABC's Nemesis television documentary, which told the story of the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2023· 1 entry
Abbott described him as a "saint for our times"
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2022· 1 entry
Awarded Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (2022).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
2021· 2 entries
“s increasing naval firepower as a justification for the deal. Abbott strongly supports the de jure recognition of Taiwan as an independent nation. In 2021, Abbott attended a regional forum hosted in Taipei and met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. During a speech, he stated that he wants to help Taiwan end its isolation from global affairs and reaffirmed Australia”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
Abbott attended a regional forum hosted in Taipei and met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2020· 3 entries
Claimed: “Victoria's lockdown is "the most severe lockdown tried anywhere in the world outside of Wuhan itself"” — rated Wrong by ABC News.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
- #fact-check
- #rated
- #claim-by-figure
Awarded Companion of the Order of Australia (2020).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Abbott was appointed to the UK Board of Trade and continues to engage in public discourse as a writer and speaker, championing conservative viewpoints
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2019· 1 entry
Was appointed to the board of the Australian War Memorial
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2017· 2 entries
“Thank you for putting up with the invasion”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
Under the subsequent Turnbull government
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2015· 3 entries
“s husband and a resident of the United Kingdom, would be appointed a Knight of the Order of Australia. This decision was widely criticised, including by members of the government, and fuelled speculation that the prime minister”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
Launched a biography of Santamaria written by Gerard Henderson
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Abbott returned to the government backbench and pledged to remain in Parliament
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2013· 4 entries
Abbott stated on 3AW that if his sister Christine Forster were to have a marriage ceremony with her partner Virginia he would attend
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Career landmark: Prime Minister of Australia (2013–2015).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
Career landmark: Commonwealth Chair-in-Office (2013–2013).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
Before the 2013 Election, Abbott spoke of his religious outlook:
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #life
- #religion
2012· 2 entries
Aimed for a 5% reduction in emissions by 2020
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Released a compilation of key speeches from that year, entitled A Strong Australia
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2011· 1 entry
Called for the NBN to be scrapped entirely with funding diverted to assist with recovery efforts following the Queensland floods, stating "The National Broadband Network is a luxury that Australia cannot now afford
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2010· 8 entries
“I am, as you know, hugely unconvinced by the so-called settled science on climate change... and I think that the economics of an ETS are a bit dodgy... [but] whatever second thoughts people like me might be having, I don't think it's a good look for the Opposition to be browner than Howard going into the (2010) election.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #lang:en
Abbott argued that an LTE network could meet Australia's future broadband needs, with "a tower on every street corner"
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
As Leader of the Opposition, Abbott stated that he would "ferociously" hold the Labor government to account over what he believed to be "a white elephant on a massive scale" and would "demolish" the NBN
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Noel Pearson lobbied Rob Oakeshott to back Abbott
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
“s future broadband needs, with”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
That Abbott had shifted the dynamic of Australian politics after coming to the leadership in 2009 and "deserves hero status among Liberals"
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Campaign: 2010 election.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #election
- #campaign
That while Abbott has always "worn his Catholicism on his sleeve", he is "clearly frustrated by the obsession with [it] and what might hang off that"
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2009· 9 entries
Launched Battlelines; a personal biography, reflections on the Howard government and discussion of potential policy directions for the Liberal Party of Australia
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Career landmark: Leader of the Opposition of Australia (2009–2013).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
“s support for the Rudd government”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
“The argument is absolute crap. However, the politics of this are tough for us. Eighty per cent of people believe climate change is a real and present danger.”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
“I guess in the end I'm a bit like Bill Clinton on this matter, who said that he thought [abortion] should be safe, legal and rare. And I underline 'rare'.”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
“John Howard found a problem and created a solution. Kevin Rudd found a solution and has now created a problem”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
Challenged and defeated Malcolm Turnbull in a leadership spill over Turnbull's support for the Labor Party's Emissions Trading Scheme
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Abbott announced his opposition to Turnbull's support for the Rudd government's Emissions Trading Scheme proposal, and successfully challenged Turnbull for the Liberal leadership, chiefly over this issue
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Spent 10 days in Aurukun on Cape York working with the truancy team, visiting children who had not been attending school
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2008· 3 entries
“The love and commitment between two people of the same sex can be as strong as that between husband and wife... There is more moral quality in a relationship between two people devoted to each other for decades than in many a short-lived marriage. Still, however deeply affectionate or long lasting it may be, the relationship between two people of the same sex cannot be a marriage because a marriage, by definition, is between a man and a woman... Let”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
Abbott wrote: "The love and commitment between two people of the same sex can be as strong as that between husband and wife
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Abbott spent three weeks teaching in a remote Aboriginal settlement in Coen on Cape York, organised through Indigenous leader Noel Pearson
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2007· 2 entries
And Abbott was re-elected to the seat of Warringah with a 1
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Attracted criticism over long delays in funding for cancer diagnostic equipment (PET scanners)
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2006· 2 entries
Tried, but failed, to block the introduction of the abortion pill RU-486, but said in 2010 he would not try to ban it
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Abbott controversially opposed access to the abortion drug RU486, and the Parliament voted to strip Health Ministers of the power to regulate this area of policy
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2005· 1 entry
Abbott was holidaying with his family in Bali when the Bali bombings occurred
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2004· 2 entries
The man sought out Abbott, and it was publicly revealed he was an ABC sound recordist who worked in Parliament House, Canberra, and was involved in making television programmes in which Abbott appeared
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
“I want to make it clear I do not judge or condemn any woman who has had an abortion. There would not be anyone under 50 in this country who has not come up close and personal against this issue. I accept that resolutions made in church often wilt under the hot breath of passion - I think I know that as well as any person in this chamber - but every abortion is a tragedy and up to 100,000 abortions a year is this generation's legacy of unutterable shame.”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
2003· 2 entries
During a period of contentious Medicare reform and a crisis in Medical indemnity Insurance, in which the price of insurance was forcing doctors out of practice
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Career landmark: Minister for Health (2003–2007).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
2001· 3 entries
Won Centenary Medal (2001).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #trophy
- #achievement
Career landmark: Leader of the House (2001–2007).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
Career landmark: Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (2001–2003).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
1998· 3 entries
Abbott established a trust fund called "Australians for Honest Politics Trust" to help bankroll civil court cases against the One Nation Party and its leader Pauline Hanson
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Prime Minister Howard described him as an effective performer with an endearing style, whereas the Opposition described him as a "bomb thrower"
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Career landmark: Minister for Employment Services (1998–2001).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
1997· 5 entries
“[Abortion is] the easy way out.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
“When you are challenging the young, they can come back at you with language of tremendous power and they are no respecters of sacred cows, you know, the young. There's nothing politically correct about the average young Australian when it comes to use of language.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
“I won't be rushing out to get my daughters vaccinated [for cervical cancer], maybe that's because I'm a cruel, callow, callous, heartless bastard but, look, I won't be”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
“... an objectively grave matter has been reduced to a question of the mother’s convenience.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
“If we’re honest, most of us would accept that a bad boss is a little bit like a bad father or a bad husband. Not withstanding all his or her faults, you find that he tends to do more good than harm. He might be a bad boss but at least he’s employing someone while he is in fact a boss.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
1994· 2 entries
Suggested he seek pre-selection for a by-election in the seat of Warringah"
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Career landmark: member of the Australian House of Representatives (1994–2019).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
1984· 2 entries
“s Seminary, Manly. Abbott did not complete his studies at the seminary, leaving the institution in 1987. Interviewed before the 2013 election, Abbott said of his time as a trainee priest:”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
At the age of 26, he entered St Patrick's Seminary, Manly
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1981· 1 entry
Awarded Rhodes Scholarship (1981).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
1979· 2 entries
And a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 1981 from the University of Sydney
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
“SRC (Students Representative Council) student paper, Sydney University, 1979.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #lang:en
1977· 1 entry
Abbott faced charges of common and indecent assault after allegedly groping trainee teacher Helen Wilson while she was making a speech at the College of Advanced Education in Kuring-gai, Sydney
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1957· 1 entry
Born 1957-11-04.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #birth
1954· 1 entry
Where he met and married Fay Peters, a dietitian
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1942· 1 entry
Was called up to the Royal Australian Air Force
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event