Abbott believes that the left has a strong influence over civic institutions such as the judiciary, military, church, and centre-right political parties. He expressed difficulty within his own party on issues such as climate change and energy. Abbott suggested that some MPs may not belong in the centre-right party, and called for the creation of a new program for the centre-right to advocate in opposition. He emphasized the need for the centre-right to be more robust and critical in their thinking, rather than being easily influenced by the public service.
Both Abbott and Truss agreed that the West is under threat from various sources, including military weakness, economic self-harm, collapsing social cohesion, and what they referred to as “mind viruses” such as woke ideology, net zero initiatives, and appeasement of external enemies. They believe that conservative opinion is still predominant in the populace, citing the failure of the Voice referendum in Australia and the success of the Brexit poll in the UK. Climate change and transgender issues were recurring topics for both former prime ministers.
Abbott expressed confidence that what he described as the “climate cult” and “trans-mania” would not survive if faced with challenges such as mass lawsuits against doctors for altering young people, or a serious military threat. Truss argued that the world would be safer if Donald Trump were to reclaim the US presidency, despite his previous actions towards dictatorships. She defended Trump’s tough sanctions on Iran and his unpredictability towards authoritarian regimes, suggesting that this approach was more effective than the current administration’s.
Truss was applauded for stopping a “gender self-ID” bill in the UK that would have allowed people to change their legal gender without a medical diagnosis. The event was hosted by the Australian chapter of the Conservative Political Action Conference, where Truss spoke alongside Abbott. Executive director Andrew Cooper suggested that putting Abbott and Truss back in charge in the next ten years would be beneficial. Truss emphasized the importance of looking at Trump’s actions rather than his rhetoric, citing his decision to send missiles to Ukraine in 2017 as an example of his strong stance against aggression.
Overall, Abbott and Truss voiced concerns about the influence of the left on various institutions and the need for the centre-right to push back against this influence. They highlighted the threats facing the West, including military weakness and collapsing social cohesion, and expressed confidence that conservative values were still predominant within the population. Truss defended Trump’s actions towards authoritarian regimes and his unpredictability, suggesting that this approach was more effective in dealing with global threats. The event sparked discussions on climate change, transgender issues, and the need for the centre-right to be more robust in their approach to governance.
