Minds. Lets turn it over to you, tony, and get it started. [applause] abbott walter, thank you. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen for being here. It is always good to be in washington and at the Heritage Foundation in particular. I have a speech which i am going to deliver. I have worked on it. I think it is important that i give you the speech i have written. Thate just begin by saying america is the indispensable country, the only country on earth with the strength and the consistently beat the free world. I like to think that australia is americas indispensable partner. The one country that america can always rely on for help when America Needs it. So with those introductory notes, it is straight to the Heritage Foundation. Back in november of 2014 when australia hosted the annual meeting of the g20, it was by far the most important gathering of leaders ever held in my country. It should have been a diplomatic triumph, but for president obama choosing at that time to give a speech at the university of queensland that was seen as an attack on my government touchy climate policy. At the time of my governments touchy policy. , was pressured to rebuke him but it was the duty of the Prime Minister not to be critical of the leader of the free world. I have to say that on this trip to washington, i have noticed that respect for the office of the president is not so common even here in the United States itself. ,hat is a pity, if i may say so because he is not just your president. As a leader of the free world, which the president inevitably is by virtue of americas singular strength and goodwill, in a sense, he is everyones president , and the road needs him to succeed almost as much as america does. If the president is strong, america is strong. If america is strong, australia is stronger, britain is stronger, canada is stronger. Indeed, all the countries of the free world are stronger. That is why so many people outside of the United States follow each president s triumphs avails almost as closely as if we were ourselves citizens of this republic. Much to the surprise of many given that this may to resident donald trump selection, indeed, somewhat to my own surprise given my view then that mr. Trump was almost uniquely underqualified for such an office, i think he has been quite a success. ,is style sometimes grates but he has been a very good president. Maybe it has just been overtaken by trumpderangement syndrome. But for the first time in years, the main narrative is not one of american decline. For obama, america could not be the worlds policeman on its own, couldnt be the worlds economic locomotive on its own. So it is refreshing actually that trump doesnt talk about what america cant do, but what it can. Thanks to tax cuts and less red tape, American Economic growth has surged. Employment has soared, especially for minorities. The stock market is hitting alltime highs and wages are finally increasing after decades of stagnation. Sure, trump has shown more interest in boosting growth than in restraining spending, to the dismay of fiscal conservatives. But as Ronald Reagan may have said, for the moment at least the deficit seems to be likely enough to take care of itself. For years now, it has been assumed that americas destiny was to be overtaken by china as the Worlds Largest economy. Of course, that may still happen. But actually, it is chinas economy that now seems under pressure in the face of robust american efforts to stop china taking advantage of the free trade that it never practices itself. Besteople who know china cant wait to get their money out, and their kids educated in the west. The people of hong kong, who are risking bloody repression in support of your british heritage, dont trust the goodwill or the longevity of the communist regime. For years, it has been assumed that, globalization underpinned by free trade was both unstoppable and good, even though it was much more obviously good for the rich people of poor countries than for the poor people of rich ones. Yet trumps tariff hikes against china seem to be bringing in more investment dollars home, boosting American Manufacturing jobs, and cutting the trade deficit while shrinking chinas role in americas supply chains should cut the technology theft. For years, it has been assumed that the price of American Global leadership was putting up with unreasonable critics and free riding friends. It was joining global agreements that were against americas best interest, and it was turning the other cheek every time an enemy took advantage of american decency. That is how it was. But that is not how it is under trump. Storming out of meetings is a rough way to make a point, but in refusing to be polite and to play by the old rules, trump has actually improved americas position. He has called china a trade that was destroying american jobs. Mexico, the open backdoor that would have to pay for a wall. N. A. T. O. Allies, freeloaders who needed to get serious about their own defense. And the paris Climate Change con, shackling america in ways that didnt bind other countries. Effective. Crude but whatever you think of trumps personal integrity, he has turned out to have had remarkable political integrity. He has done everything that he promised to do including things that other president s promised but never delivered, like moving the u. S. Embassy to jerusalem. He promised to cut taxes, and he has. He promised to boost the armed forces, and he has. He promised to pull out of a Transpacific Partnership, and he has. He promised to pull out of paris, and he has. He promised to appoint conservatives to the course, and did that to the Court Conservatives to the courts and he did. He promised to bring china to book on trade and he has certainly made a very strong start. He promised to pull america out of the endless wars of the and with far fewer u. S. Soldiers killed on his less, america is liked no but feared much more. Above all else, he promised to make America Great again. And i think he is largely succeeding, fundamentally because his main instincts are sound and supreme selfconfidence means that he is never afraid of acting upon them. First and foremost, trump is an american patriot. Merica made him so he loves his country as he loves himself. Now, inevitably, there have been some questionable calls. Pulling out of the Transpacific Partnership was one, if only because for once it enabled china, with its rival freetrade deal, the original comprehensive economic partnership, to look more like a credible global han america. Pulling out of syria could have been an abandonment of the kurds, who had been americas most reliable muslim allies in the middle east. But he more or less reversed that decision 36 hours later and more American Forces streamed in. Then there was the dronekilling of irans top general. In my view, it was an error not to respond more vigorously to irans downing of an american an error not to respond more vigorously to irans downing of an american drone and the refineries. Audi oil proportionately to strikes that might have made america look weak but had no actual casualties. But once iran and its proxies had attacked americans come ,rump did what no one expected he killed the very spearhead of irans attempts to export its islamic revolution. Now, this could still have dire consequences yet, unmistakably it shows but you dont mess with america. That might not be a recipe to success on mainstream, middle america, but as we know, in the people are, gentle taken advantage of while fierce alone. E left there is a world of difference between a fight with iran, that trump is of is he ready to pick, that trumpn iran shows not the slightest inclination to wage. Between attacking iranian ,acilities and inventing iran from getting a Nuclear Weapon that america could well be up for, and a Ground Invasion to try to bring about regime change, that should really be the business of the iranian people. Un perhaps, but real enough, there is an emerging trump doctrine, to use American Economic strength against regimes and to use military force to avenge in the attacks. To the trump haters, the Soleimani Killing was more evidence of wild oscillations between isolationism and interventionism. But more likely, it just shows trumps determination to hurt addicas enemies but not to to americas responsibilities. Again,ar, let us be fair it does seem unpresident ial to threaten other countries with hellfire, and personal to mock political foes as pocahontas or sleepy joe. This name is just a modern american version of the verbal battles that are routine in other countries arguments. I am sure it is unprecedented for the leader of the free world, in a situation where words can be weapons, to compulsively tweet against anything he doesnt like. On the other hand, given official tendency to fudge, may be an unfiltered president is exactly what the world needs right now. In russia, a new sultan in istanbul and a new emperor in beijing, more power jockeying than in many years, perhaps it is just as well that there is another rough rider in the white house. Even though russian and turkish meddling in syria or libya will not turn out any better for them powers. Has for western and china will not be strengthened by accumulating client states in the third world any more than other countries have. Use firstould america is economic strength with its military muscle in reserve in order to bring about geopolitical objectives . What matters is that america and other western countries should renovate their economies, rally their people, believe more in themselves, and act where the need to, always weighing what will do more good than harm in order to protect the citizens, defend their interests, and advance their valleys. Values. Ce their in america, Great Britain and australia, this is happening. Minister, it was my view that it was presumptuous that australia should demand that other countries be just like us. In the middle east, for instance, the most we could expect and demand was governments that did not practice genocide against their own people, nor forbid terrorism against hours, in other words, punish bad behavior, reward Good Behavior and work with anyone where it is in our interests to do so. Flew time, Australia Military jets through chinas selfproclaimed air defense identification zone, yet worked with china as we led the search for missing aircraft in which mh370. We did deals with our trading partners to give the same access to their markets as they did to ours. We were determined to bring back 70r dead from the mh3 atrocity, forcefully if necessary. We joined the fight against the caliphate that on the understanding that we could not do more for the iraqis than they were more willing to do for themselves. And while we worked with the indonesian government to stop peoplesmuggling, when they failed to prevent illegal wouldbe migrant boa ts from leaving their country for hours, we turned around and we sent them back. While i never thought that the prospect of a slightly warmer climate in some decades time was the worlds biggest threat, never thought that i was prepared to sign up to Emissions Reductions targets in paris provided other countries did likewise, and on the advice that cuts could be achieved without loss in jobs and without the taxes. And as Prime Minister, i tried to make it easier for president obama by ensuring that australia was always there to help. I am not sure whether these policies were liberal conservativest, pragmatists or realist. Frankly, i never cared for tags anyway, provided the result was a stronger australia and a better world. It is said that with trump you should take them seriously but not literally. But actually, i believe there is a pattern to it. He talks loudly to make a point, but talks softly when he is carrying a big stick. When he is taking out a general, for instance, or forcing a trade concession. Sometimes he makes speeches that stand comparison even with reagans. His recent speech to the u. N. For instance. Patriotism over globalism. To decent values of ideology. He was highly critical of some governments but respectful of countries, and generous to peoples and to cultures. If you want freedom, he said, take pride in your country. If you want democracy, he said, hold on to your sovereignty. You see, trump is the first major leader in the western world to have worked out that poor people have become more conservative just as richer people have become more progressive. Have a recast centerright Politics Around the country we can take pride in and a community we have a place in as well as an economy we can make the most of. Least in the englishspeaking countries, centerright politics has never been very ideological or even especially philosophical, it has been about coming to grips with the troubles of the times in ways that correspond with peoples best instincts. Era,e eisenhowermacmillan it was spreading prosperity through homeownership and higher wages. In the reaganthatcher era, it was more economic dynamism through lower taxes and less regulation. Now, in the trumpjohnson era, it is still that, but with an added stress on pride in country, at a time when so many of our citizens feel that everyones interest come first but their own. D, at the heart of the centerright project has been care for those who are working hard but not necessarily getting ahead. My partysen people, founder called them. They are the people of the flyover states for trump, and the brexiteers for boris johnson. Just as they were once the reagan democrats, or the bluecollar tories. To theime of pitching public seems to have given trump an instinctive feel for what i would call social fabric conservatism. And unlike the left where what matters is prescribing too politically correct beliefs, for the centerright what matters is attending to peoples real concerns. Trumps people cheered, draining the swamp. , thehe washington class westminster clique, the establishment, if you like, on both sides have become more concerned with who is in power than what is actually being done with it. Politics has become an insiders game detached from the voters and their concerns. Mannow, trump is their running the government, not washingtons man running them. Who would have thought for years ago that the reality tv capitalist, addicted to tweeting, would turn out to be a more effective president than the Political Insider who had preceded him, blessed with soaring rhetoric and symbolizing the countrys ability to heal . That is what the impeachment upset sore losers impeachmentobsessed sore losers who dominate the Democrat Party still dont get. Yes, everywhere, our politics is becoming more fragmented and more polarized. The right is more right and the left is more left, and there is a tendency to retreat into echo chambers, but all of us are still citizens of particular countries, and we still need the governments of our countries to succeed. So rather than demonize everyone we disagree with, is that better to give our leaders, for the time being at least some grudging respect . Back, had i been an american, i would have been a reluctant trump voter. But not now. He might sometimes seem crass or intemperate, but that does not mean he is not the best possible president for america at this time. After all, when it comes to electing the president , people are not choosing a safe or even a role model, they are seeking a leader. And the one thing you can say of trump is that he has been shy to cannot say thing you of trump is that he has been shy to lead. In my country, if you have a go, you deserve to get a go. That is how i feel about the presidency right now, which i guess makes me a supporter of keeping America Great. And overseas supporter of keeping America Great, but lets face it, it is a great country. And all of us have a stake in keeping it that way. [applause] host thank you very much. One of the things i didnt say in introducing you, that i should have, is that you are a keen observer of american politics. I think you know american politics as well as any american. I should have mentioned that. I wanted to start with a question that is more political and may be more focused on australia off the bat. Years, 10 or 15 years ago, the general think on the connection between conservatives here in the u. S. And conservatives or liberals in australia was that they are different. That in america, we are economic conservatives focused on economic freedom, but we have this social element. In australia, they dont have that. In some ways, the impression was conservatives are cool in australia because they dont care about social issues, they just care about low taxes and all the rest. I wonder if you could tell us about the way that conservatism in australia is evolving. It seems to have evolved substantially in the last 10 or 15 years. Pm. Abbott thanks. I should offer this opening conservatism is not an ideology. To evenuld be reluctant call it a philosophy. State of mind as much as anything else. It is a set of instincts. Ultimately, it is respect for what is and a reluctance to change what works other than where it is obvious that theres something that would be better. Invariably, that something that would be better is more of a restoration than a reform. It is going back to something timesbetter suits these than that which had perhaps corrupted what had well suited earlier times. Notonservatism is certainly a systematic philosophy based on a particular idea in the way that liberalism might be, or socialism might be, for communism might be or communism might be. That is the first point i would make. Conservatism tends to be what people who regard themselves as conservatives think and do any particular time. The greatest contemporary conservative in australia obviously was john howard, our 25th Prime Minister. The longestserving prime menzi, other than bob the founder of the liberalhowarl position of the liberal party is to be economically liberal and socially