Tony Abbott

Anthony John "Tony" Abbott (born 4 November 1957) is an Australian politician who was the 28th Prime Minister of Australia from 18 September 2013 to 15 September 2015. Abbott was leader of the Liberal Party from 2009 to 2015, and has been a Member of Parliament for Warringah since 1994.

Abbott was born in London to an Australian mother and a British father, and immigrated to Sydney with his parents in 1960. Prior to entering Parliament, he took the degrees of Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws at the University of Sydney, then graduated Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, politics and economics as a Rhodes Scholar at The Queen's College, Oxford. He later proceeded by seniority to Master of Arts.

After graduating, Abbott trained as a Roman Catholic seminarian, later working as a journalist, manager and political adviser. In 1992, he was appointed director of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, a position he held until his election to Parliament in 1994. He was first appointed to Cabinet following the 1998 election, as part of the Second Howard Ministry, becoming Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. In 2003, he became Minister for Health and Ageing, retaining this position until the defeat of the Howard Government at the 2007 election. Initially serving in the Shadow Cabinets of Brendan Nelson and then Malcolm Turnbull, he resigned from the frontbench in November 2009 in protest against Turnbull's support for the Rudd Government's proposed Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Forcing a leadership ballot on the subject, Abbott defeated Turnbull by 42 votes to 41 to become the party's leader and Leader of the Opposition.

Prime minister

A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime minister is the presiding member and chairman of the cabinet. In a minority of systems, notably in semi-presidential systems of government, a prime minister is the official who is appointed to manage the civil service and execute the directives of the head of state.

In parliamentary systems fashioned after the Westminster system, the prime minister is the presiding and actual head of government and head of the executive branch. In such systems, the head of state or the head of state's official representative (i.e. the monarch, president, or governor-general) usually holds a largely ceremonial position, although often with reserve powers.

The prime minister is often, but not always, a member of parliament and is expected with other ministers to ensure the passage of bills through the legislature. In some monarchies the monarch may also exercise executive powers (known as the royal prerogative) that are constitutionally vested in the crown and may be exercised without the approval of parliament.

Abbott

Abbott may refer to:

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Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Bligh Turnbull (born 24 October 1954) is the 29th and current Prime Minister of Australia. He became prime minister and Leader of the Liberal Party in 2015 and has been the member of parliament for Wentworth since 2004.

Turnbull attended Sydney Grammar School before going to the University of Sydney, where he received a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws. He then attended Brasenose College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar, where he attained a Bachelor of Civil Law. Before entering politics, Turnbull worked as a journalist, lawyer, investment banker and venture capitalist. In 1993, he became the chairman of the Australian Republican Movement, serving in the position until 2000.

Briefly Minister for the Environment and Water in the Howard Government in 2007, Turnbull was elected Leader of the Liberal Party in September 2008, becoming Leader of the Opposition. In November 2009, his support for the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme proposed by the Rudd Government split the Liberal Party, and in a ballot the following month Turnbull lost the leadership to Tony Abbott by one vote. Initially intending to leave politics, Turnbull remained in parliament and eventually became Minister for Communications in the Abbott Government in September 2013.

Tony

Tony is a short form of Anthony or Antonio. It may refer to:

People known by the single name, Tony: