New Liberal Leader – new Coalition Agreement
15th September, 2015
I want to pay tribute to my friend and colleague Tony Abbott.
For the past two years Tony and I have led a government that delivered what it said it would deliver.
We abolished Labor’s unfair and counter-productive carbon and mining taxes. We put a stop to the asylum seeker tragedy at sea. We put 300,000 Australians into gainful employment and began the task of building the infrastructure for the 21st Century.
For our part, The Nationals have been focussed on delivering the investment and reform to back in the regions’ growth and prosperity, capable of seizing the opportunities of the Asian Century.
Of course, before the election win in September 2013, we did almost four years together in Opposition. Those were important and formative years, where no-one can deny Tony’s focus and energy redefined what it is to be an Opposition leader and, in doing so, he brought us back from political oblivion.
Liberal and Nationals owe Tony and Margie a tremendous debt of gratitude.
I congratulate Malcolm Turnbull on becoming the 29th Prime Minister of Australia. A new Coalition Agreement has been negotiated, which addresses many of the policy issues facing the new government.
The Nationals will work constructively with Malcolm and his Liberal team to ensure regional Australia gets its fair share of government investment and that future policy directions appropriately advance regional people, businesses and communities.
A close working team is essential to delivering the good government Australia expects from their elected representatives.
