Burned at the stake for taking a stand (Australia's deposed conservative Prime Minister)

Daily Telegraph (Sydney) ^ | 18th September 2015 | Simon Benson

[naturalman1975]

OF the five prime ministers we have had since the 2007 election, Australians have elected only two in their own right — Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott. They have voted out but one — Kevin Rudd, in favour of Tony Abbott.

.....

But it is my view that, just like Kim Beazley was perhaps the best prime minister we never had, Tony Abbott was potentially the best prime minister we had but never knew it.

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He espouses a set of values, principles and personal ethics that speak to community values that many of us could probably only aspire to. And on these values, he is uncompromising. He is loyal to a fault and conducts himself with a personal humility rare in politics.

His mistake was that he, perhaps naively, believed the principles he adopted in life would work in politics, and that the loyalty would be returned.

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The unrecognised fact is Abbott achieved more in just 24 months of government than perhaps any modern leader

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Abbott, true to his character, has made a graceful departure, putting others and the government’s best interests above his own. And this is where the stark contrast will lie when the true history of this episode is recorded. Turnbull will be — already is being — portrayed, by even those in the media he may have thought were friends, as a man who was prepared to trade his beliefs for the support of his peers in the pursuit of power.

Abbott was a leader who ultimately sacrificed power because he was unwilling to do the same.

[Catsrus]

I have a feeling the Aussies are going to regret this.

[aposiopetic]

Abbott, true to his character, has made a graceful departure, putting others and the government’s best interests above his own.

That's kind of a lost art in the US.

[RIghtwardHo]

One of my best friends is Aussie and lives in Sydney. She is deeply distressed by this. She says there’s an ill wind blowing in Australia.

[cotton1706]

Maybe they’ll put him back in, like the Brits did with Churchill after being defeated by Clement Atlee, or we did with Cleveland!

[Parley Baer]

“I have a feeling the Aussies are going to regret this.”

So do I. Abbott seemed like a good man.

[Defiant]

It’s as though we elected Donald Trump, and the GOPe joined with Democrats to impeach him and make one John Boehner President.

[John Valentine]

I have a feeling the Aussies are going to regret this.

Many already do.

[tanuki]

He’ll be back-once the current government flubs.