With a week to go until the first sitting of the new Parliament, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott should not be allowed to forget the commitments he gave and the statements he made following last month’s election:

ABBOTT ON PARLIAMENTARY REFORM

Before Labor formed government:

Only the Coalition is capable of offering the country a consultative and collegial political culture, because this is very much in our political DNA. I do understand the desire of the independents for a new style of politics.

I think that the spirit of Parliament has been needlessly confrontational...

...I think that I have demonstrated in my time as leader of the Liberal Party a capacity to reach out to people who might otherwise have felt excluded.

24 August – Press Conference

I also indicated to them (the Country Independents) that I was very committed to a process of root and branch parliamentary reform...

I just want to make the general point that I can fully understand the independents desire to have a new politics and certainly I am very committed to try to ensure that we have a more consultative, more collegial, more genial style of political discourse in this country...

26 August – Press Conference

After Labor formed government:

...the only constructive way to channel that frustration and disappointment [at not forming government] is to redouble our attacks on the Labor Party. That is the only way to do it.

18 September – Address to Liberal Party (NSW) State Council

ABBOTT ON THE COUNTRY INDEPENDENTS

Before Labor formed government:

...the three rural independents, they’re all adults, they’re all patriots, they all want to see the best possible deal for our country and particularly for regional Australia...

29 August – Insiders Program

After Labor formed government:

...I think inevitable they’re going to be seen as de facto Labor members of Parliament...

8 September – Alan Jones Program (2GB)