News of the World phone hacking scandal: July 15 as it happened

Mr Hinton served as chairman of News International from 1995 to 2007 and has headed Dow Jones since December 2007.

His resignation came just hours after the resignation of Rebekah Brooks, chief executive of News International, the British newspaper division of News Corp.

The resignation was announced in a statement issued by News Corporation chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch, shortly after the shaken-looking mogul apologised to the family of one of the alleged phone hacking victims.

"Les and I have been on a remarkable journey together for more than 52 years," Mr Murdoch said. "That this passage has come to an unexpected end, professionally, not personally, is a matter of much sadness to me."

"News Corporation is not Rupert Murdoch," he said. "It is the collective creativity and effort of many thousands of people around the world, and few individuals have given more to this company than Les Hinton."

Mr Hinton, 67, has worked under Murdoch for more than five decades, rising through the ranks until he was tapped to run News International in 1995, and later Dow Jones after New Corp bought the publisher of the Wall Street Journal.

In a statement, Mr Hinton reiterated his denials that he was aware of the extent of the phone-hacking by News of the World journalists.

If true, this is major news. While Rebekah Brooks might have been Murdoch's favourite daughter, Les Hinton is his most trusted lieutenant. The Wall St Journal is published by Dow Jones, so you would expect their sources to be good and Murdoch did choose the Journal for his defiant interview yesterday.

Les Hinton, Chief executive of Dow Jones and Murdoch's right hand man, is set to resign today, according to Wall Street Journal.

Another email from a reader, this time Drew, suggesting a 2006 story that might play a part in the Jude Law suit, this time with claims that Sienna Miller bought a leather harness and handcuffs from a London boutique.

Abbott's climate plan "a magic pudding"

Ms Gillard today toured the Hazelwood power station, one of the nation's dirtiest coal fired power stations, at Morwell in the state's east.

With the Latrobe Valley set to feel the biggest impact from the carbon tax plan, locals had called for Ms Gillard to personally explain the package to them.

Ms Gillard told residents she understands why they are anxious about the impact of the carbon tax package, but believes the region has a strong future.

She said the Government would be working alongside communities through the process.

"I am very confident that the Latrobe Valley has a bright future," she said.

Ms Gillard said the workers asked some hard questions as she explained the package away from the glare of the media.

"There's a lot of anxiety there and that's why I'm here to talk issues through with people, to be there directly available to have a conversation," she told reporters on Saturday.

The union leaders also told the Prime Minister that the Hazelwood workers deserve a fair share of the Government's compensation package and she should look after them.

Part of the Government's clean energy package includes closing some power stations, with Hazelwood thought to be at the top of the list.

Ms Gillard was unable to say if any Latrobe Valley power station would definitely close, saying it had to go through a tender process and any closure would take a number of years.

The Prime Minister says she has a fully costed, modelled carbon pollution reduction package available to the Australian people to examine and Mr Abbott has a "hocus pocus" plan that he pretends can cut carbon pollution.

She says the coalition's package will cost households $720 a year, which Mr Abbott must explain.

Woman held at knifepoint as family slept

At about 11.15pm (AEST) on Friday, a 55-year-old woman was sitting in the lounge of her house in the Turvey Park suburb of Wagga Wagga, when a man entered the house through the rear door, police said.


The man allegedly grabbed the woman from behind and held a knife to her throat.


The woman struggled and her throat was cut.


The man then fled the house and emergency services were called.


The woman's 73-year-old husband, 14-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter were at home asleep during the attack and were unhurt.
Police are investigating whether the attempted abduction is connected to another break-in that happened just over two kilometres away.


About 11.15pm, a woman was grabbed from behind as she sat in her living room and a knife was held to her throat. The man had come in to the Wagga house through the backdoor.


The 55-year-old woman struggled to break free, but sustained a cut to her neck. The man fled the scene.


Police say the woman’s 73-year-old husband and two teenage children were also at home asleep at the time of the break-in.


Police are urging anyone with information about either incident to come forward.

Paul Keating

Paul John Keating, born 18 January 1944 was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election. After becoming prime minister in 1991, he led Labor to its fifth consecutive victory at the 1993 election against the Liberal/National coalition led by John Hewson. Many had considered this election unwinnable for Labor, mainly due to the effects that the early 1990s recession had on Australia, as well as the longevity of Labor as the federal government. However, the Labor government was decisively defeated at the 1996 election by the Liberal/National coalition led by John Howard.

Early life

Keating grew up in Bankstown, a working-class suburb of Sydney. He was one of four children of Matthew Keating, a boilermaker and trade-union representative of Irish-Catholic descent, and his wife, Minnie. Keating was educated at Catholic schools; he was the first practising Catholic Labor prime minister since James Scullin left office in 1932. Leaving De La Salle College Bankstown (now LaSalle Catholic College) at 15, Keating decided not to pursue higher education, and worked as a clerk at the Electricity Commission of New South Wales and then as a trade union research assistant. He joined the Labor Party as soon as he was eligible. In 1966, he became president of the ALP’s Youth Council. In the 1960s Keating managed ‘The Ramrods’ rock band.

Personal life

In 1975, Keating married Annita van Iersel, a Dutch flight attendant for Alitalia. The Keatings had four children, who spent some of their teenage years in The Lodge, the Prime Minister's official residence in Canberra. They separated in late November 1998.

Keating's daughter, Katherine, is a former adviser to former New South Wales minister Craig Knowles.

Keating's interests include the music of Gustav Mahler and collecting French antique clocks. He now resides in Potts Point, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney.

Entry into politics

Through the unions and the NSW Young Labor Council, Keating met other Labor figures such as Laurie Brereton, Graham Richardson and Bob Carr. He also developed a friendship and discussed politics with former New South Wales Labor premier Jack Lang, then in his 90s. In 1971, he succeeded in having Lang re-admitted to the Labor Party. Using his extensive contacts Keating gained Labor endorsement for the federal seat of Blaxland in the western suburbs of Sydney and was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1969 election when he was 25 years of age.

Keating was a backbencher for most of the period of the Whitlam Government (December 1972 – November 1975), and briefly became Minister for Northern Australia in October 1975 which he lost when the Whitlam Government was dismissed by Sir John Kerr on 11 November 1975. After Labor's defeat in 1975, Keating became an opposition frontbencher and, in 1981, he became president of the New South Wales branch of the party and thus leader of the dominant right-wing faction. As opposition spokesperson on energy, his parliamentary style was that of an aggressive debater. He initially supported Bill Hayden against Bob Hawke's leadership challenges, partly because he hoped to succeed Hayden himself.However, by July 1982, as the leader of the New South Wales right-wing faction, he had to accept, at least nominally, his own faction's endorsement of Hawke's challenge. The formal announcement by Keating, as the faction leader, was actually penned by Gareth Evans.

Prime Minister: 1991–1996

Keating's agenda included making Australia a republic, reconciliation with Australia's indigenous population, and furthering economic and cultural ties with Asia. The addressing of these issues came to be known as Keating's "big picture. Keating's legislative program included establishing the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA), a review of the Sex Discrimination Act, and native title rights of Australia's indigenous peoples following the Mabo High Court decision. He developed bilateral links with Australia's neighbours – he frequently said there was no other country in the world more important to Australia than Indonesia – and took an active role in the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), initiating the annual leaders' meeting. One of Keating's far-reaching legislative achievements was the introduction of a national superannuation scheme, implemented to address low national savings. Keating introduced mandatory detention for asylum seekers in 1992. On 10 December 1992, Keating delivered a speech on Aboriginal reconciliation.

Most commentators believed the 1993 election was "unwinnable" for Labor; the government had been in power for 10 years and the pace of economic recovery from the early 1990s recession was 'weak and slow'. However, Keating succeeded in winning back the electorate with a strong campaign opposing Fightback and a focus on creating jobs to reduce unemployment. Keating led Labor to an unexpected election victory, made memorable by his "true believers" victory speech. After Keating, some of the reforms of Fightback were implemented under the centre-right coalition government of John Howard, such as the GST.

In December 1993, Keating was involved in a diplomatic incident with Malaysia, over Keating's description of Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad as "recalcitrant". The incident occurred after Dr. Mahathir refused to attend the 1993 APEC summit. Keating said, "APEC is bigger than all of us – Australia, the U.S. and Malaysia and Dr. Mahathir and any other recalcitrants." Dr. Mahathir demanded an apology from Keating, and threatened to reduce diplomatic and trade ties with Australia, which became an enormous concern to Australian exporters. Some Malaysian officials talked of launching a "Buy Australian Last" campaign.Keating eventually apologised to Mahathir over the remark.

Defeat

John Hewson was replaced as Liberal party leader by Alexander Downer in 1994. But Downer's leadership was marred by gaffes, and he resigned in 1995. He was succeeded by John Howard, who had previously led the party from 1986 to 1989. Under Howard, the Coalition moved ahead of Labor in opinion polls and Keating was unable to wrest back the lead. The first warning sign came in March 1995, when Labor lost Canberra in a by-election. Later in 1995, Queensland Labor barely held onto its majority at the 1995 state election before losing it altogether in a 1996 by-election held a week after Keating called the 1996 federal election. Howard, determined to avoid a repetition of the 1993 election, adopted a "small target" strategy – committing to keep Labor reforms such as Medicare, and defusing the republic issue by promising to hold a constitutional convention. This allowed Howard to focus the election on the economy and memory of the early 1990s recession, and on the longevity of the Labor government, which in 1996 had been in power for 13 years.

After politics

Since leaving parliament, Keating has been a director of various companies, including the Chairman – Corporate Advisory International of Lazard, an investment banking firm.

In 1997 Keating declined to accept appointment as a Companion of the Order of Australia. Other than Kevin Rudd, he is the only former post-1975 prime minister not to hold the award since the institution of the Australian Honours System in 1975.

In 2000, he published a book, Engagement: Australia Faces the Asia-Pacific, which focused on foreign policy during his term as prime minister. In March 2002, a Don Watson-authored biography of Keating, Recollections of a Bleeding Heart, was released and has sold over 50,000 copies. It has been awarded The Age Book of the Year and Best Non-fiction book, The Courier-Mail Book of the Year and the National Biography Award.

During Howard's prime ministership, Keating made occasional speeches strongly criticising his successor's social policies, and defending his own policies, such as those on East Timor. Keating described Howard as a "desiccated coconut" who was "araldited to the seat" and that "Howard ... is an old antediluvian 19th century person who wanted to stomp forever ... on ordinary people's rights to organise themselves at work ... he's a pre-Copernican obscurantist", when criticising the Howard government's WorkChoices policy. He described Howard's deputy, Peter Costello, as being "all tip and no iceberg" when referring to a pact made by Howard to hand the prime ministership over to Costello after two terms. On Labor's victory at the 2007 election, Keating said that he was relieved, rather than happy, that the Howard government had been removed. He claimed that there was "Relief that the nation had put itself back on course. Relief that the toxicity of the Liberal social agenda – the active disparagement of particular classes and groups, that feeling of alienation in your own country – was over.

Paul Keating takes aim at Tony Abbott's policies

TONY ABBOTT says he will call a double dissolution election if he wins power and Labor and the Greens combine in the Senate to stop him from repealing the carbon tax.

The Opposition Leader, who is sitting on a massive election-winning lead in the polls, issued the edict in front of a community forum in Brisbane last night.

He said if the government was ''walloped'' at the next election over the carbon tax, it would be unthinkable that a humiliated Labor would not allow an Abbott government to rescind it.

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Mr Abbott said he would have a mandate to rescind the tax which would be equal to that of Labor when it repealed Work Choices after its 2007 victory.

''It's just not political commonsense,'' he said.

However, Mr Abbott said if Labor refused to budge, he would seek a double dissolution, which needs the same legislation being blocked twice by the Senate, three months apart, as a trigger.

If Australia can't effect these kinds of changes, where does it leave us in the big game against the Chinese, most of Europe, that are making these changes in climate."

He acknowledged that it was difficult to sell the tax to the public, but that the public would get behind it when it saw the package as whole, including the increase in the tax-free threshold.

Mr Keating said Opposition leader Tony Abbott's argument that "you don't tax the polluters, you give them money to change their bad habits, is tripe".

He accused Mr Abbott of telling Australians, "if you don't give me the job, I'll wreck the place".

"Tony Abbott has got to get the political judo chop," he said.

On day five of his anti-carbon tax sales pitch Mr Abbott toured an agricultural transport company in Gatton, 90km west of Brisbane, to outline his plan against the "toxic tax". "I will be campaigning every single day between now and the next election, whenever it is, against this carbon tax," he said.

"This is a tax which isn't fair, it won't do anything to reduce global emissions.

Police chief supports station guards plan

BILLBOARD campaign showing graphic violence inflicted on police officers - including a glassing injury - could be harmful to children, a leading psychologist said today.

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said the "shocking" images launched today as part of an ongoing push for police pay had “the potential to cause significant anxiety among children".

“They are very graphic and whilst I totally support the Police Association and their bid for a pay rise, let's be very clear about this - this is an adult discussion and we shouldn't drag children into it," Dr Carr-Gregg told news.com.au.

The images show the bloodied results of a policeman being bashed and a policewoman's injuries after being glassed while trying to stop a fight.

Dr Carr-Gregg said he did not believe the campaign should be banned, but called for the Victorian Police Association to ensure children were not exposed to the violent pictures.

The new numbers were promised by the Baillieu government in the lead-up to the state election as part of its tough-on-crime agenda, which included the promise to put two officers on every Melbourne station and some regional stations after 6 o'clock each night.

The plan has been criticised by the Greens and others on several fronts, including that the officers will be unnecessary at most stations because there is rarely crime at many of them. But Mr Lay told The Age that while stations were mostly safe, police research showed only about a third of passengers felt safe using the network at night.

''I've got a young daughter and there's something quite comforting for me [knowing] when my daughter gets off the train … she will see bright green vests and people in uniform there to protect the community,'' he said.

''Clearly their presence there will result in reduced levels of crime. The other important thing is people feel safer.

''This is an opportunity that we've never had before.

''Is it an effective use of resources? You bet it is.''

While Mr Lay's predecessor Simon Overland said the plan had his support, he questioned the length of training that the protective service officers were likely to receive, a move that put him at odds with the Baillieu minister Richard Dalla-Riva.

The first guards will enter a 12-week training course in November before being deployed about February.

About 93 are expected at stations by mid next year but only city and major inner-suburban stations will be guarded for the first few months.

Shadow police spokesman James Merlino said he was confident that the force would implement the government of the day's policies but problems remained with the planning, implementation and effects of the rollout.

Victoria Police is expected to publish details of the information sessions on its website within days.

Tony Abbott

Anthony John "Tony" Abbott, born 4 November 1957 is the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian House of Representatives and federal leader of the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. Abbott has represented the seat of Warringah since the 1994 by-election. He was Minister for Employment Services, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, and Minister for Health and Ageing in the Howard government at various times from 1998 to 2007 and Leader of the House from 2001 to 2007.

After the defeat of the Howard government at the 2007 federal election, he was Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs until he resigned from Malcolm Turnbull's shadow cabinet on 26 November 2009 in protest against Liberal Party support for an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Following a spill motion, Abbott defeated Turnbull 42 votes to 41 in a party leadership election.

The 2010 federal election resulted in a hung parliament with the incumbent Labor government led by Julia Gillard, forming a minority government after gaining support of an Australian Greens MP and three independent MPs. Abbott was re-elected unopposed to the party leadership following the election.

Early life and family

Abbott was born in London, England, to Australian parents. In 1960, his family returned to Australia, living first in the Sydney suburbs of Bronte then moving to Chatswood. Abbott was schooled at St Aloysius' College before completing his secondary school education at St Ignatius' College, Riverview in Sydney (both are Jesuit schools). He graduated with a Bachelor of Economics (BEc) and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Sydney where he resided at St John's College, and was president of the Student Representative Council. He gained media attention for his political stance opposing the then dominant left-wing student leadership. He was also a prominent student boxer. He then went on to attend the Queen's College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) in Politics and Philosophy.

When Abbott was 19, his girlfriend became pregnant and believed Abbott to be the biological father. She was keen to get married but Abbott refused, so she left him seven months into her pregnancy. She later gave birth to a son and had him adopted. For 27 years, Abbott believed that he fathered this child. In 2004, the boy sought out his biological mother and it was publicly revealed that the child had become an ABC sound recordist who worked in Parliament House, Canberra, and was involved in making television programs in which Abbott appeared.

Abbott began public life as a journalist for The Bulletin, an influential news magazine, and The Australian Newspaper. He became well-known for his strongly worded criticism of trade unions and left-wing politics. For a time he was a plant manager for Pioneer Concrete before becoming press secretary to the Leader of the Opposition, Dr John Hewson from 1990 to 1993 and worked on the Fightback! policy. Between 1993 and 1994 he was the Executive Director of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy.

Despite his right-wing leanings, Abbott has acknowledged he voted for Labor in the 1988 NSW state election as he thought "Barrie Unsworth was the best deal Premier that New South Wales had ever had." Nevertheless, Abbott then clarified that he has never voted for Labor in a federal election.

Abbott was elected to the Australian House of Representatives for the Division of Warringah at a by-election in March 1994 following the resignation of Michael MacKellar. He served as the parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (1996–98), Minister for Employment Services (1998–2001), Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Small Business (2001), Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (2001–03) and Minister for Health and Ageing from 2003 to November 2007. From late 2001 to November 2007, he was also Manager of Government Business in the House of Representatives.

According to Sydney Morning Herald Political Editor Peter Hartcher, prior to the defeat of the Howard Government at the Australian Federal Election, 2007, Abbott had opposed the Government's centrepiece Workchoices industrial relations deregulation reform in Cabinet, on the basis that the legislation exceeded the government's mandate; was harsh on workers; and was politically dangerous to the government.

Abbott campaigned as Minister for Health at the 2007 Election. On 31 October, he apologised for saying 'just because a person is sick doesn't mean that he is necessarily pure of heart in all things', after Bernie Banton, (an asbestos campaigner and terminal mesothelioma sufferer) called him 'gutless' for not being present to collect a petition.

Action against the One Nation party

In 1998, Abbott established a trust fund called "Australians for Honest Politics Trust" to help bankroll civil court cases against the One Nation party and its founders, Pauline Hanson and David Ettridge.Prosecution ultimately resulted in Hanson & Ettridge being imprisoned. The conviction against Hanson was ultimately overturned, leading to criticism of a range of politicians for political interference by the adjudicating justice.

Post Howard Government: shadow minister

After the Coalition lost government in 2007 and he lost his health portfolio, in opposition Abbott was re-elected to the seat of Warringah with a 1.79% swing toward the Labor Party. Following Peter Costello's rejection of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party, Abbott nominated for the position of party leader, along with Malcolm Turnbull and Brendan Nelson. After canvassing the support of his colleagues, Abbott decided to withdraw his nomination. He seemingly did not have the numbers, noting that he was "obviously very closely identified with the outgoing prime minister." He also said he would not rule out contesting the leadership at some time in the future.

In December 2007, Abbott was assigned the Shadow Portfolio of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. As indigenous affairs spokesman, Abbott said that it had been a mistake for the Howard Government not to offer a National Apology to the Stolen Generations.; spent time teaching at remote Aboriginal communities; and argued for the Rudd Government to continue the Northern Territory National Emergency Response which restricted alcohol and introduced conditional welfare in certain Aboriginal communities.

The number of unauthorised boat arrivals to Australia increased in Australia during 2008. Abbott claimed that this was an effect of the Rudd Government's easing of border protection laws and accused Kevin Rudd of ineptitude and hypocrisy on the issue of boat arrivals, particularly during the Oceanic Viking affair of October 2009, and said "John Howard found a problem and created a solution. Kevin Rudd found a solution and has now created a problem".

In November 2009, Abbott resigned from shadow ministerial responsibilities due to the Liberal Party's position on the government's Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), leading to the resignation of other shadow ministers.

On 1 December 2009, Abbott was elected to the position of Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia over Malcolm Turnbull and Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey (See 2009 Liberal Leadership ballot). Abbott proposed blocking the Rudd Government's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in the Senate whereas Turnbull sought to amend then pass the bill which the majority of the Liberal Party did not support.Abbott named his Shadow Cabinet on 8 December 2009.

Abbott described Prime Minister Rudd's Emission Trading plan as a 'Great big tax on everything' and opposed it. The Coalition and minor parties voted against the Government's ETS legislation in the Senate and the legislation was rejected. Abbott announced a new Coaltion policy on carbon emission reduction in February, which committed the Coalition to a 5 per cent reduction in emissions by 2020. Abbott proposed the creation of an 'emissions reduction fund' to provide 'direct' incentives to industry and farmers to reduce carbon emissions. In April, Rudd announced that plans for the introduction his ETS would be delayed until 2013.

When appointed to the Liberal leadership, the subject of Abbott's Catholicism and moral beliefs became a subject of repeated media questioning. Various commentators suggested that his traditionalist views would polarise female voters.

During his time as Opposition Spokesman for Indigenous Affairs, Abbott spent time in remote Cape York Aboriginal communities as a teacher, organised through prominent indigenous activist Noel Pearson. Abbott has repeatedly spoke of his admiration for Pearson, and in March 2010, introduced the Wild Rivers (Environmental Management) Bill to Parliament in support of Pearson's campaign to overturn the Queensland government's Wild Rivers legislation. Abbott and Pearson believe that the QLD law will 'block the economic development' of indigenous land, and interfere with Aboriginal land rights.

Abbott completed an Ironman Triathlon event in March 2010 at Port Macquarie, New South Wales and in April set out on a 9 day charity bike ride between Melbourne and Sydney, the annual 'Pollie Pedal, generating political debate about whether Abbott should have committed so much time to physical fitness. Abbot described the events as an opportunity to "stop at lots of little towns along the way where people probably never see or don't very often see a federal member of Parliament.

Constitutional monarchist

Abbott is a supporter of the constitutional monarchy in Australia. Prior to entering Parliament, he was Executive Director of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy from 1993-94. Arguing against the case for a republican system of government in Australia in 1999, Abbott outlined his beliefs on conservatism and the monarchy.

“ There are some people who believe that any republic would be better than what we have now. “Republic or bust” zealots are incapable of perceiving any difficulties. Conservatives, however, don’t change anything lightly. Conservatives approach issues with instinctive respect for institutions and approaches that have stood the test of time. “If it is not necessary to change” the conservative ethos runs, “it is necessary not to change”. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” say conservatives, “and if it is broke, recycle it, don’t throw it away”. ”

Speaking in July 2009, Abbott told the ABC's 7:30 Report that though he thought the science of climate change was "highly contentious" and that he thought that the economics of an ETS was "a bit dodgy", he nevertheless thought that the Opposition should pass the Rudd Government's ETS as he did not think it would be "a good look for the Opposition to be browner than Howard going into the next election".

At an October 2009 meeting in the Victorian town of Beaufort, Abbott was reported to have said: "The argument is absolute crap... However, the politics of this are tough for us. 80% of people believe climate change is a real and present danger". 

On 1 December 2009, when questioned about that statement, he said he had used "a bit of hyperbole" at that meeting rather than it being his "considered position".

Speaking in November 2009, prior to being elected Leader of the Opposition, Abbott told the ABC's Lateline program that in relation to Climate Change Policy:

“ I am always reluctant to join bandwagons. I think there are fashions in science and in the academe, just as there are fashions in so many other things. But look, we should take reasonable precautions against credible threats. I think it is perfectly reasonable to take action against climate change. The problem with the Rudd Government's position is that Australia could end up impoverishing itself through this dramatic ETS, and not do anything for the environment if the rest of the world does not adopt an ETS or something like it. ”

Outgoing Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull wrote that Abbott had described himself as a 'weathervane' in relation to climate change policy in the months prior to his becoming leader of the Liberal Party.

Upon becoming Leader of the Opposition, Abbott put the question of support for the Government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS), to a secret ballot and the Liberal Party voted to reject support for the policy - overturning on an undertaking by Abbott's predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull, to support an amended version of the government's scheme. Under Abbott, the Coalition voted against the CPRS in the Senate, and the bill was defeated twice, providing a double dissolution trigger.

Abbott is pro-life, an opponent of embryonic stem cell research and euthanasia. He supports legal abortion but with restrictions; he has said that abortion should be "safe, legal and rare". He also tried, but failed, to block the introduction of the abortion pill RU-486, but promised not to change abortion law if elected.

As Health Minister, Abbott said that he saw reducing the number of abortions performed each year as a national priority. In March 2004, he asked, "Why isn't the fact that 100,000 women choose to end their pregnancies regarded as a national tragedy approaching the scale, say, of Aboriginal life expectancy being 20 years less than that of the general community?" In February 2006, he said, "We have a bizarre double standard, a bizarre double standard in this country where someone who kills a pregnant woman's baby is guilty of murder but a woman who aborts an unborn baby is simply exercising choice."

Abbott promised to launch an investigation into a product called Pink or Blue, produced by the American firm Consumer Genetics. This test is one of several pre-natal blood tests designed to detect the sex of a fetus as early as six weeks into pregnancy. Some ethicists and anti-abortionists have raised concerns that it would become a "sex select" tool.

Abbott opposed allowing the introduction of embryonic stem cell research or therapeutic cloning in another conscience vote. He argued, "There are very important ethical questions here and even the very best end does not justify every possible means.

In his 2009 book, Battlelines, Abbott proposed that consideration should be given to a return to an optional at-fault divorce agreement between couples who would like it, similar to the Matrimonial Causes Act, which would require spouses to prove offences like adultery, habitual drunkenness, cruelty, dessertion, or a 5 year separation before a divorce would be granted. 

Religion

Abbott is a socially conservative Catholic. As a former Catholic seminarian, Abbott's religiosity has come to national attention and journalists have often sought his views on the role of religion in politics. Abbott says that a politician should not rely on religion to justify a political point of view:

“ We are all influenced by a value system that we hold, but in the end, every decision that a politician makes is, or at least should, in our society be based on the normal sorts of considerations. It's got to be publicly justifiable; not only justifiable in accordance with a private view; a private belief.”

Various of the political positions supported by Abbott have been criticised by church representatives, including aspects of Coalition industrial relations policy, asylum seeker and Aboriginal affairs policy. After criticisms of Liberal Party policy by clergy, Abbott has said: "The priesthood gives someone the power to consecrate bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. It doesn't give someone the power to convert poor logic into good logic.

According to John Warhurst from the Australian National University, academics have at times placed an "exaggerated concentration on the religious affiliation and personal religious background of just one of [the Howard government's senior ministers, Tony Abbott. Journalist Michelle Grattan wrote in 2010 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.

Abbott is a volunteer member of the NSW Rural Fire Service as a member of the Davidson Rural Fire Brigade.

Abbott has participated in many events for charity including running in a 100 km charity ultramarathon.

In April 2007 he launched the tenth annual Pollie Pedal, a charitable event which aimed to raise money for breast cancer research. Federal Territories Minister Jim Lloyd said that the event was Abbott's "brainchild".

As Opposition spokesman on Indigenous Affairs, Abbott spent weeks teaching in a remote Aboriginal settlements in Cape York in 2008 and 2009, organised through prominent indigenous leader Noel Pearson. He taught remedial reading to Aboriginal children; worked with an income management group, helping families manage their welfare payments; and visited children who had not been attending school—with a goal 'to familiarise himself with indigenous issues'.

Books by Abbott

Abbott has published three books. In 2009 he launched "Battlelines"; a personal biography, reflections on the Howard Government and discussion of potential policy directions for the Liberal Party of Australia. Previously he had published two books in defence of the existing constitutional monarchy system, "The Minimal Monarchy" and "How to Win the Constitutional War".

Abbott, Tony (2009). Battlelines. Carlton Victoria Australia: Melbourne University Press. ISBN 9780522856064.

Abbott, Tony (1997). How to Win the Constitutional War: and give both sides what they want. Kent Town South Australia: Wakefield Press. ISBN 1862544336.

Abbott, Tony (1995). The Minimal Monarchy: and why it still makes sense for Australia. Kent Town South Australia: Wakefield Press. ISBN 1862543585.

Tony Abbott tells Courier-Mail People's Forum the Coalition carbon tax if elected

Opposition Leader took his anti-carbon tax crusade from the nation's mine sites and agricultural markets to the heart of Brisbane city in front of a 100-strong crowd at a forum organised by The Courier-Mail and Sky News.

Ramming home his message that the government had an "honesty problem", Mr Abbott told Brisbane voters the carbon tax was counterproductive and unnecessary.

"If the package is as good as the Prime Minister is telling us, it really should have gone to a vote," he said.

But while Mr Abbott tried to sell his $3.2bn direct-action plan to voters, he was repeatedly questioned over his stance on renewable energy funding and claims the coal industry would be harmed.

Former teacher Vicki Monaghan, 51, asked why Mr Abbott was "scaremongering" about the future of jobs in the coal industry.

Mr Abbott replied: "Well, what do you think about Bob Brown, he says he wants to phase out coal", before saying the emissions trading scheme would vastly reduce the output of coal companies.

IT consultant Adam Champion, 29, challenged Mr Abbott on which experts he would listen to, after he "bagged climate scientists and bagged economists".

Mr Abbott said he listened to the public.

"I don't accept this line that the people are incapable of making an intelligent and informed judgment," he said.

But Mr Abbott also faced questioning over the details of how he would be able to rescind the carbon tax under his government with a hostile Senate.

But support for the tax also rose from 25 per cent to 32.1 per cent, while the undecided vote fell from 38.4 per cent to 16.5 per cent.

The Opposition Leader hammered Julia Gillard for breaking her pre-election promise not to introduce a carbon tax.

But he insisted his own "direct action" policy would meet the same targets.

"I don't think we can ... protect our environment by trashing our economy," he said.

"We've got to do this in a sensible way, not a destructive way."

Members of the audience asked how much his alternative policy would cost, how it would save jobs and whether it would promote green energy.

Mr Abbott described himself as a "conservationist" who wanted to take precautions against climate change.

He said his plans built on existing activities including tree planting and storing carbon in soil.

He vowed the cost would not rise above $3.2 billion. Mr Abbott said the carbon tax was already hurting the Australian economy and could spark a drop in the Australian dollar.

"The strength of the currency is a sign of the strength of the economy," he said. There was now "a government-induced climate of uncertainty and anxiety", he said.

The tax would create a "sovereign risk" and cause foreign investors to shun Australia, he said.

Mr Abbott predicted Labor would drop its support for the carbon tax if it lost the election.

He said he would be prepared to go to a double dissolution election if he could not get the changes through both Houses of Parliament but he

left open the option of changing his policy in the future.

"If the whole world changes, obviously we will too," he said.

But he said that was highly unlikely to happen. "There is no way on God's Earth the Chinese and Indians would do it because it would destroy their economy," he said.