Challenged from without and from within, there's now a real danger that we might be living through the twilight of the West, facing not just geopolitical challenges, but civilisational eclipse as people lose the beliefs that once sustained them.
Western Civilisation, especially its English-speaking variant, once seemed unassailable; because what else has produced societies that were free, fair, rich, and safe in a way that no others were. But that restless curiosity and capacity for self-criticism has now metastasised into a corrosive form of civilisational self-loathing.
Western Civilisation is worth believing in, and it is worth fighting for.
My address to the next generation of Western leaders at @uaustinorg. Read it in full at The Tony Abbott Newsletter: https://t.co/olEvX0juxe
What a run for Ky Robinson in the Oslo Dismond League! 🔥🔥
An Australian record in the men's 5000m with a time of 12.50.82, beating Craig Mottram's record from 22 years ago in London.
#AthleticsNation
Especially today, my instinctive sympathy remains with all of our special forces soldiers from the Afghanistan campaign, fighting at our country’s command against a merciless enemy, often under highly restrictive rules of engagement that meant known terrorists were captured and released many times.
As prime minister during multiple deployments, and having spent time with our troops in war-zones, I could not have asked for a more loyal and professional military and my respect for their service is undiminished.
Of course, there are rules that have to be observed and enforced, even against soldiers in times of war. Still, it’s wrong to judge the actions of men in mortal combat by the standards of ordinary civilian life.
If Ben Roberts-Smith transgressed, why wasn’t this picked up prior to his gallantry awards and why wasn’t any culture of brutality towards prisoners detected by his more senior officers, and dealt with quickly, rather than being allowed to fester, as has been alleged, for over a decade?
The Brereton investigation commenced in 2016 and only concluded in 2020. The first war crime charge against a former special forces soldier was only laid in 2023 and three years later, this has still not been finalised.
After doing their best to serve our country, dozens of former special forces soldiers should not still be in limbo years later because of ongoing investigations that have only resulted in charges in two cases.
Justice delayed is justice denied. If evidence is clear, and cases are strong, they should be brought and concluded without delay. Otherwise, people should be cleared to get on with their lives lest the process itself become the punishment.
In Afghanistan, our soldiers fought bravely and well for a just cause. I am very sorry that some of them have been subjected to a form of persecution by the country they served.
One of the reasons why Aboriginal disadvantage is so intractable is that “culture” keeps getting in the way of addressing it. “Culture” means that we can no longer refer to the five-year-old brutally murdered in an Alice Springs town camp by her real name, the name that will be recorded in the death statistics. “Culture” means that we can’t even identify her apparent assailant or his criminal record, even though his name and his record was plastered all over the media, prior to a Tuesday court ruling that, likewise, now can’t even be mentioned.
Read my full piece in the Tony Abbott newsletter: https://t.co/sCudg8lJyB
Finally both parties are showing their real colours after a decade when they mostly tried to be a slightly more attractive version of the other side, with the Coalition just a little less enthusiastic than Labor for big government, climate action, and mass migration.
By committing a future Coalition government to ending bracket creep, taxation by stealth, Taylor has made the next election wealth creation versus wealth redistribution and pitched the Liberals as the party of aspiration versus the party of resentment.
Higher taxes on property and heavier taxes on wealth creation are not just broken promises with no redeeming policy feature. They're an assault on the Australian dream that people who strive to get ahead should not be punished for their efforts and that people who 'have a go' should get a 'fair go' from government.
Read my latest exclusive at The Tony Abbott Newsletter: https://t.co/miJFUQOU1w
@HonTonyAbbott As the new Federal President of the Australian Liberal Party, You need to openly declare if you ride your bike on Tubeless Tyres or with tubes, this answer will effect how people view Todays Tony Abbott.
Back like she never left 🫡
A 4.80m first attempt clearance and the win for Nina Kennedy at the Rabat Diamond League.
Retired on top and looking ahead to Rome on Thursday 👀
#AthleticsNation
A big thumbs up from Colly 👍🏾 who was pretty happy with his brand new fit — Billabong 🏄🏽♂️shorts, a Lenny Kravitz shirt, and Havaianas thongs🩴
It’s not hard to lift people’s spirits in the toughest of times.
Many of the mob arrived with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Today, they walked away with something new — something of their own. And you can see what that means.
Thank you to Thread Together for your incredible partnership, and to Hoops 4 Health for your support on the ground to make this happen.
Small things. Big impact. ❤️
#ThreadTogether #NovaPerisFoundation #Hoops4Health #Community #StrongerTogether
In 1983, Cliff Young, a 61-year-old potato farmer, showed up in work boots to compete in Australia’s toughest ultramarathon alongside elite athletes. Unaware that competitors were meant to sleep during the race, he kept running continuously. Against all expectations, he won by a margin of 10 hours.
In 1983, Cliff Young, a 61-year-old potato farmer, arrived at the start of the Westfield Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon looking entirely out of place. The race, stretching nearly 600 miles across Australia, was typically reserved for elite endurance athletes with specialized training, equipment, and support teams. Cliff turned up in loose overalls and rubber work boots, and most observers assumed he would not even make it through the first day.
Yet Cliff had spent much of his life herding sheep on his family farm, often covering long distances on foot for hours at a time. His running style was nothing like the others—short, shuffling, and unorthodox—but it was steady and relentless. Crucially, he was unaware of the standard race strategy, where competitors ran in long shifts and then slept for several hours. Cliff simply kept moving.
While the favorites stopped to rest, he continued through the night. As the days passed, it became clear he was not just surviving the race—he was leading it. Spectators began lining the route to watch the slow, determined figure pass mile after mile.
After 5 days, 15 hours, and 4 minutes, Cliff Young crossed the finish line in first place, finishing about 10 hours ahead of his nearest competitor and shattering the previous record by nearly two days. When he learned there was prize money, he reportedly gave it away to the other runners, saying they had all worked just as hard.
His distinctive running style later became known as the “Young Shuffle.” Initially mocked, it was eventually studied by ultramarathon athletes for its efficient, energy-conserving motion over extreme distances.
WORTH THE WAIT 🫡🔥
Aidan Murphy has headlined an Australian sweep in the Men’s 400m at the Oceania Athletics Championships, rising to second on the Australian all-time list in 44.44-seconds!
Finishing just shy of Darren Clark’s 44.38-second national record, Murphy beat home Thomas Reynolds in 44.69 and Luke van Ratingen in 45.04 😳
#AthleticsNation
Until last week Australia was the only developed country with endemic trachoma, a devastating eye disease which often causes blindness. Many thousands of people have lost their sight to trachoma, which is much more common in indigenous communities.
It’s been eradicated here after decades of work by doctors, nurses, medical researchers, and aid workers - with government support and sustained community involvement. Massive congratulations to all involved in this historic effort.
https://t.co/pKz57OJF5x