Oppositions are not there to get legislation through. Oppositions are there to hold the government to account. Tony Abbott More Quotes by Tony Abbott More Quotes From Tony Abbott I think my wife and my kids are incredibly good to allow me to stay in public life given that they have to cop a whole lot of collateral attention that, being human, they'd rather not get. Tony Abbott wife kids thinking I think that the best things that governments can do for productivity is not whack on new taxes and, if we can get institutions like schools and hospitals functioning better, well that's obviously good for the overall productiveness of our society. Tony Abbott government school thinking I am not being negative, I am simply being factual when I say Kevin Rudd is the best friend the people smugglers have ever had Tony Abbott kevin people negative I see myself as a social conservative, but I think that there are lots of social institutions that produce beneficial reforms, like public hospitals, for instance, and schools. Tony Abbott reform school thinking I'm not running for canonisation. Tony Abbott running A government that says what it means, and means what it says. Tony Abbott excuse government mean There are no factions in the Liberal Party Tony Abbott liberal-party factions party Do we really want to invest $50 billion of hard earned taxpayers money in what is essentially a video entertainment system? Tony Abbott entertainment video want The smart way to improve broadband is not to junk the existing network but to make the most of it. It’s to let a competitive market deliver the speeds that people need at an affordable price with government improving infrastructure in the areas where market competition won’t deliver it. Tony Abbott smart government people When politicians complain about the media, it strikes me as resembling footballers complaining about the umpire. Tony Abbott umpires media complaining Western civilisation came to this country in 1788 and I'm proud of that... Tony Abbott western proud country Certainly, my uni days involved some statements that I wouldn't make today. Tony Abbott statements involved today There is one fundamental message that we want to go out from this place to every nook and cranny of our country: There should be no new tax collection without an election. Tony Abbott fundamentals want country The only party which is going to increase taxes after the election is the Labor Party. Tony Abbott increase election party There will be no overall increase in the tax burden whatsoever. Tony Abbott taxes increase burden It's very easy for Australians living in big cities to either romanticise or demonise the situation in Aboriginal places - to kind of look at things through the 'noble innocents' prism or through the 'chronically dysfunctional' prism, and I suspect that is so often the case. Tony Abbott noble cities looks There is much to be said for an emissions trading scheme. It was, after all, the mechanism for emission reduction ultimately chosen by the Howard government. Tony Abbott reduction government said My commitment to the forgotten families of Australia is to ease your cost of living pressure Tony Abbott cost-of-living australia commitment You cannot win an election without a fight Tony Abbott election fighting winning Faith is important to me. It's important to millions of Australians. It helps to shape who I am. It helps to shape my values. But it must never, never dictate my politics. Tony Abbott shapes who-i-am important