- A2013 «
Tony Abbott Victory Speech
Tony Abbott, MP
Election NIght
Four Seasons Hotel
Sydney
7 September 2013
TRANSCRIPT
My
friends,
my friends, thank you, thank you so much.
I can inform you that the government of Australia has changed for just the seventh time.
You
obviously
enjoyed hearing it, so let me say it again. The government of
Australia has changed.
For just, for just, for just the seventh time in 60 years, the government of Australia has changed. The Coalition has won 13 seats clearly, with 10 seats still in play, and I can inform you that the Australian Labor Party's vote is at the lowest level in more than 100 years.
So
tonight,
so tonight, for the last time in this campaign, it is my
honour to address you, the people of Australia.
Mr Rudd has conceded defeat.
He has been the prime minister of this country not once, but twice, so I acknowledge his service to the people of our nation.
I now look forward to forming a government that is competent, that is trustworthy, and which purposefully and steadfastly and methodically sets about delivering on our commitments to you, the Australian people.
Something very significant has happened today. Today, the people of Australia have declared that the right to govern this country does not belong to Mr Rudd or to me or to his party or to ours; but it belongs to you, the people of Australia.
It is the people of Australia who determine the government and the prime ministership of this country and you will punish anyone who takes you for granted.
And
that's
as it should be in a great democracy such as ours.
So my friends, in a week or so, the Governor-General will swear in a new government.
A government that says what it means and means what it says. A government of no surprises and no excuses. A government that understands the limits of power as well as its potential.
And
a
government that accepts that it will be judged more by its deeds than
by its mere words.
In three years' time, the carbon tax will be gone.
The
boats
will be stopped.
The
budget
will be on track for a believable surplus.
And
the
roads of the 21st century will finally be well under way.
And from today, I declare that Australia is under new management and that Australia is once more open for business.
Today, hundreds of thousands of people would have voted for the Liberal and National parties for the first time in their lives. I give you all this assurance: we will not let you down.
A
good
government, a good government is one that governs for all
Australians including those who haven't voted for it. A good government
is one with a duty to help everyone to maximise his or her potential.
Indigenous people. People with disabilities. And our forgotten
families, as well as those who Menzies described as lifters, not
leaners.
We
will
not leave anyone behind.
I want to thank. I want to thank my strong and united Liberal and National party Coalition team. I thank Julie Bishop, Warren Truss, Joe Hockey, I thank the members of the shadow cabinet. I thank my parliamentary team. I thank all our candidates - those who have succeeded and those who haven't, for the faith that you haven't, for the faith that you have placed in me.
I
thank
the Coalition premiers, all of them, who have stood shoulder to
shoulder with their federal colleagues throughout this campaign.
I thank the Liberal Party organisation, president Alan Stockdale, and federal director Brian Loughnane.
And yes, and yes, and yes, it's right that you should show such enthusiasm for Brian Loughnane, because he has run our most professional campaign ever.
I
thank,
I thank my personal staff, led by Peta Credlin, who is the
smartest and the fiercest political warrior I have ever worked with.
I
thank
my family, who have given me so much and supported me throughout
a public life.
I
thank
the people of Warringah for returning me. I thank the
people of Warringah for returning me as their member of parliament for
the eighth successive time.
But most of all, most of all, I thank you, the people of Australia, who have just given me the greatest honour and the heaviest responsibility that any member of parliament can have.
I am both proud and humbled as I shoulder the duties of government. The time for campaigning has passed, the time for governing has arrived. I pledge myself to the service of our country.
I have many friends in this audience. I say thank you to each one. We have been on a journey together, a long, long journey. May it continue, and may it help to bring better times to this great country of which we are all so very, very proud. Thank you so much. Thank you so much.