....Soon after the 1984 election, it was revealed that PM Bob Hawke had made a secret commitment to the US government to provide back-up facilities for test landings in the Tasman Sea of two unarmed MX missiles. This provoked such a furore that Hawke was forced to withdraw from the deal.

........He has given the Coalition a fighting chance of victory over a first-term government.

That last happened when the Scullin Labor government was defeated during the Depression...........
.........He wrote "Battlelines" at a time when no one imagined that, in the short term at least, he would become leader of the Liberal Party.

He was willing to do something that few have undertaken: to write a book about his ideas, values and beliefs.............
...........He has been a member of parliament for four years longer than either Rudd or Julia Gillard.

If he wins the election, he will bring to the prime ministership infinitely more ministerial experience than did the incumbent or her predecessor............
.........In addition, he was the leader of the government in the House of Representatives, which involved constant interaction with senior ministerial colleagues to ensure that the government's legislative program was effectively implemented; he did it with flair and skill.

As minister for workplace relations, he established the Cole royal commission, which examined the final lawless frontier of industrial relations in this country. Following the commission's recommendations, the government accepted Abbott's proposal to establish the office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner.

This body -- which was gutted by the Rudd government (with Gillard's enthusiastic support) at the behest of the unions -- led to a dramatic reduction in hours lost in the commercial building and construction industry.

Abbott was also a policy innovator in the health portfolio. He introduced the Medicare Safety Net, which has been, despite Labor's claims to the contrary, the biggest change to Medicare since the latter was launched in the 1980s.

On Abbott's watch, bulk-billing rates rose from 67 per cent to 78 per cent. Abbott was also responsible for extending Medicare to allied professional services such as psychology. His negotiating ability came to the fore during the protracted medical indemnity insurance issue, which was resolved in a manner that served the public interest as well as meeting legitimate concerns of the medical profession.

Abbott brought intelligence and enthusiasm to all of his ministerial responsibilities.

A characteristic of his work as a minister was to anticipate problems rather than just be content to respond to them. Nine years' experience as a minister is comprehensive training for the top job.........
............If Abbott becomes prime minister of Australia, he will bring many qualities to that office.

First and foremost, he is a person who has strong values and beliefs. I have always regarded these as prime requisites for successfully fulfilling the role.

One does not acquire values and beliefs during job experience as prime minister; unless a newly elected prime minister brings clear convictions to their task, the government over time lacks coherence and definition, and becomes increasingly the plaything of changing political fortunes.

Abbott would also bring to the prime ministership the quality of resilience, which is so important. Like all senior politicians, he has had his share of reverses and disappointments.............