Tony Abbott sworn in as Australia s new PM

Tony Abbott was sworn in as Australia's new prime minister on 18th September and immediately ordered the scrapping of the nation's carbon tax and the halting of asylum-seeker boats. The 55-year-old conservative pledged to get down to work after a ceremony at Government House in Canberra where his Liberal/National government officially brought six years of Labor rule to a close.

"Today is not just a ceremonial day, it's an action day. The Australian people expect us to get straight down to business and that's exactly what this government will do," Abbott said in a statement. He was elected on September 7 on a pledge to quickly scrap taxes on corporate pollution and mining profits imposed under the Labor administration, as well as introducing a costly paid parental leave scheme and a vow to build new roads across the vast nation.