Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he was “supposed to be unelectable” as a “conservative monarchist and climate sceptic” reflecting on his time as Opposition Leader.
Mr Abbott rose to prime ministership with a landslide victory following the 2013 Australian Federal Election.
“It’s not enough to just have the right instincts, we need the right actions too,” Mr Abbott said in his address at the CPAC on Saturday.
“In opposition, we have to oppose bad policy based on what we stand for. In government, we have to propose good policy based on what we stand for.
“Above all else, we must always address the practical obstacles that people face in making their lives as good as they could be”.
Mr Abbott said his mission as “party leader” was to first ensure that “government did no harm”.
“Then, try to ensure that government did what it reasonably might to nudge the country in better directions and to do the good that only government could,” he said.
“As a conservative monarchist and climate sceptic, I was supposed to be unelectable.”
Mr Abbott said he “took 25 seats off Labor” in two elections.
“Incidentally, we always take seats off Labor when we make climate an economic issue that will cost jobs and raise prices, rather than a moral issue requiring swift change to a survivalist lifestyle lest the planet self-emulate by 2030.”
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