Tony Abbott

Anthony John "Tony" Abbott (born 4 November 1957) is the Prime Minister-designate of Australia and Leader of the Liberal Party. He has been the Member of Parliament for Warringah since 1994.

Prior to entering Parliament, Abbott studied for a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Sydney, and later for a Master of Arts as a Rhodes Scholar at Queen's College, Oxford. He later trained as a Roman Catholic seminarian and worked as a journalist, business manager, and political advisor. In 1992, he was appointed Director of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, a position he held until 1994 when he successfully stood in the Warringah by-election.

Abbott was first appointed to the Cabinet in 1998 under the Howard Government, as 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 first Brendan Nelson and then Malcolm Turnbull, he resigned from his frontbench position 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, being elected Leader of the Liberal Party and becoming the Leader of the Opposition.

Abbott led his party through the 2010 election, which resulted in a hung parliament. Incumbent Prime Minister Julia Gillard formed a minority government after gaining the support of a Green MP and three independent MPs. Abbott was re-elected unopposed to the party leadership following the 2010 election, and led his party to victory in the 2013 election on 7 September 2013.He is likely to be sworn in as Prime Minister of Australia in the next few days.