Editing History of Australia (section)

=== Liberal-National Coalition governments (2013–2022) ===
{{Main articles|Abbott government|Turnbull government|Morrison government}}
The return of the [[Liberal-National Coalition]] to power after six years in opposition initially failed to restore stability to the office of prime minister. Prime Minister [[Tony Abbott]]'s rival [[Malcolm Turnbull]] challenged for and won the leadership of the Liberals within Abbott's first term. After Turnbull narrowly returned the coalition to office in 2016, Party dissatisfaction with his leadership saw him replaced by [[Scott Morrison]] in 2018.

==== Abbott government (2013–2015) ====
[[File:Abbott and Robb signing the Free Trade Agreement with Chinese President Xi and Minister for Commerce Gao Hucheng November 2014.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister [[Tony Abbott]] signing the [[China–Australia Free Trade Agreement]] with President [[Xi Jinping]], November 2014]]

Prime Minister [[Abbott government|Tony Abbott's government]] began implementing its policies on unauthorised maritime arrivals, including [[Operation Sovereign Borders]], boat turnbacks, the reintroduction of temporary protection visas, and the resettlement in third countries of those found to be refugees. The number of people arriving by boat fell from 20,587 in 2013 to none in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Phillips|first=Janet|date=17 January 2017|title=Boat arrivals and boat 'turnbacks' in Australia since 1976: a quick guide to the statistics|url=https://www.aph.gov.au/about_parliament/parliamentary_departments/parliamentary_library/pubs/rp/rp1617/quick_guides/boatturnbacks|access-date=17 April 2021|website=Parliament of Australia, Parliamentary Library}}</ref><ref>Grattan, Michelle (2016), "Anthony John Abbott". In ''Australian Prime Ministers''. pp 513–15</ref> The government continued Australia's economic engagement with Asia, signing trade agreements with [[China–Australia Free Trade Agreement|China]], [[Australia Korea Free Trade Agreement|South Korea]] and [[Japan–Australia Economic Partnership Agreement|Japan]]. The government also embraced the [[International military intervention against ISIL|intervention against Islamic State in Iraq]] and Syria, joining the air campaign, sending special forces and providing training for the Iraqi army.<ref name="Grattan-2016b">{{Cite book|last=Grattan|first=Michelle|title=Australian Prime Ministers|year=2016|pages=513–15|chapter=Anthony John Abbott}}</ref>

The government's May 2014 Budget proved unpopular, with the perception that it had involved breaking a number of election promises.<ref>Grattan, Michelle (2016). "Anthony John Abbott". ''Australian Prime Ministers''. pp.&nbsp;514</ref> The government secured the passage of legislation abolishing the carbon tax (July 2014) and the mining tax (September 2014).<ref name="Grattan-2016b" />

The Prime Minister announced a number of decisions – most notably the reintroduction of knighthoods and a knighthood for [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] – which had not been approved by cabinet and which were widely criticised in the media.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Uhlmann|first=Chris|date=27 January 2015|title=ony Abbott under fire from Cabinet colleagues over decision to grant knighthood to Prince Philip|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-26/abbott-defends-knighthood-for-prince-philip/6046380?nw=0&r=HtmlFragment|access-date=12 September 2021|publisher=ABC News|location=Australia}}</ref><ref>Macintyre, Stuart (2020). p. 319</ref> By September 2015 the government had lost 30 [[Newspoll]]s in a row and [[Malcolm Turnbull]] successfully challenged for the leadership.<ref>Grattan, Michelle (2016). "Anthony John Abbott". ''Australian Prime Ministers''. pp.&nbsp;516–20</ref>

==== Turnbull government (2015–2018) ====
[[File:Turnbull selfie with Xi Trump Quang.jpg|thumb|[[Malcolm Turnbull]] takes a selfie with [[Trần Đại Quang]], [[Donald Trump]] and [[Xi Jinping]], November 2017.]]

The new Turnbull government announced a National Innovation and Science Agenda and delivered a Budget featuring cuts to company tax.{{sfnp |Turnbull |2020 |pp=179–181, 321–323 }} However, the [[2016 Australian federal election|elections of July 2016]] saw the government returned with a majority on only one and a minority in the Senate. Following a national postal plebiscite, the government legalised [[Same-sex marriage in Australia|same-sex marriage]] in December 2017.{{sfnp |Turnbull |2020 |pp=516–519 }}

In foreign affairs, Australia signed a refugee exchange deal with the US in September 2016, allowing those in detention on Manus Island and Nauru to be settled in the US.{{sfnp |Turnbull |2020 |p=400 }} There was increased tension with China over its policies in the South China Sea, Australia's new laws targeting foreign influence in domestic politics, and a ban, on national security grounds, on Chinese companies supplying Australia's [[5G]] communications network.{{sfnp |Turnbull |2020 |pp=422–435 }}{{primary source inline |reason=independent source needed for "on national security grounds" bit |date=April 2025}}

In 2017, the United States, Japan, India and Australia agreed to revive the [[Quadrilateral Security Dialogue]] in order to counter Chinese ambitions in the [[South China Sea]].<ref name="power_scmp2">{{cite news|last1=Power|first1=John|date=24 February 2021|title=What is the Quad, and how will it impact US-China relations under the Biden administration?|work=South China Morning Post|url=https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/explained/article/3122933/what-quad-and-how-will-it-impact-us-china-relations-under-biden|access-date=13 April 2021}}</ref> Australia signed a modified [[Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership|Trans-Pacific Partnership]] trade agreement with 10 other nations in March 2018 after the US withdrew from the original agreement.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)|url=https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/agreements/in-force/cptpp/comprehensive-and-progressive-agreement-for-trans-pacific-partnership|access-date=18 April 2021|website=Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade|archive-date=30 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430135331/https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/agreements/in-force/cptpp/comprehensive-and-progressive-agreement-for-trans-pacific-partnership|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The government lost five by-elections in July 2018. When, in August, the government made a commitment to meet Australia's [[emissions target]] under the [[Paris Agreement]], a number of coalition members rebelled. The controversy harmed the government, which had already lost more than 30 consecutive Newspolls. The parliamentary Liberal Party elected Scott Morrison as its new leader and he was sworn in as prime minister.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bongiorno|first=Frank|title=From Turnbull to Morrison: The trust divide|publisher=Melbourne University Press|year=2019|isbn=9780522876130|editor-last=Evans|editor-first=Mark|location=Melbourne|pages=325–26|chapter=A tale of two leaders: Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison in Historical perspective|editor-last2=Grattan|editor-first2=Michelle|editor-last3=McCaffrie|editor-first3=Brendan}}</ref>

==== Morrison government (2018–2022) ====
[[File:Qld Border Closure - Coolangatta Boundary St.jpg|thumb|A barricade in [[Coolangatta]] enforcing the border closure between Queensland and New South Wales in April 2020 that was implemented by the Queensland Government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rendall|first1=Jessica|last2=Cansdale|first2=Dominic|title=Buses checked and motorists denied entry to Queensland amid border crackdown|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-03/coronavirus-border-closures-queensland-nsw-coolangatta/12116226|access-date=23 September 2021|publisher=ABC News|location=Australia|date=2 April 2020|language=en-AU}}</ref>]]

The [[Morrison government]] committed to remaining in the Paris Agreement, but promised a greater focus on reduction of energy prices.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Murphy|first=Katherine|date=3 September 2018|title=Scott Morrison contradicts energy advice, saying Paris targets can be met 'at a canter'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/sep/05/scott-morrison-contradicts-energy-advice-saying-paris-targets-can-be-met-at-a-canter|access-date=19 April 2021|website=The Guardian Australia}}</ref> In foreign affairs the government signed the [[Indonesia–Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement]] (IA-CEPA) in March 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Septiari|first=Dian|date=4 March 2019|title=IA-CEPA deal to take IR-Australia ties to new level|url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/03/04/ia-cepa-deal-to-take-ri-australia-ties-to-new-level.html|access-date=19 April 2021|website=The Kakarta Post}}</ref> The government was returned at the elections of May 2019 with a three-seat majority.

In 2017, a convention of 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegates had issued the [[Uluru Statement from the Heart]], calling for constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians and a "voice to parliament". In 2019, the government announced a process to ensure that Indigenous Australians would be heard at all levels of government.<ref>SCRGSP (Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision) 2020, Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2020, Productivity Commission, Canberra. Section 1.11</ref>

In 2020, the government was confronted with the world [[COVID-19 pandemic in Australia|COVID-19 pandemic]] and the subsequent recession, Australia's first in 29 years.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explainers: Recession|url=https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/recession.html|access-date=19 April 2021|website=Reserve Bank of Australia}}</ref> The government banned foreign nationals entering Australia and formed a [[National Cabinet]] to address the crisis.<ref>{{Cite web|date=13 March 2020|title=Advice on Coronavirus|url=https://www.pm.gov.au/media/advice-coronavirus|url-status=dead|access-date=19 April 2021|website=Prime Minister of Australia|archive-date=8 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408045851/https://www.pm.gov.au/media/advice-coronavirus}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=19 March 2020|title=Australia blocks arrival of all non-citizens, non-residents in expanded coronavirus travel ban|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-19/coronavirus-non-resident-travel-ban-australia/12071640|access-date=19 April 2021|publisher=ABC News|location=Australia}}</ref> The national cabinet announced restrictions on non-essential business, travel and gatherings of people. These restrictions were eased from May, although individual states and territories reimposed restrictions in response to particular outbreaks of COVID-19.<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 May 2020|title=Update on Coronavirus measures|url=https://www.pm.gov.au/media/update-coronavirus-measures-08may20|url-status=dead|access-date=19 April 2021|website=Prime Minister of Australia|archive-date=19 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419061216/https://www.pm.gov.au/media/update-coronavirus-measures-08may20}}</ref><ref name="ABS-2021">{{Cite web|date=17 March 2021|title=One year of COVID-19: Aussie jobs, business and the economy|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/one-year-covid-19-aussie-jobs-business-and-economy|access-date=19 April 2021|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref>

The Australian government made provision for $267 billion in economic stimulus measures, and $16.6 billion in health measures in response to COVID-19.<ref>{{Cite web|date=4 March 2021|title=Policy responses to COVID-19, Australia|url=https://www.imf.org/en/Topics/imf-and-covid19/Policy-Responses-to-COVID-19#A|access-date=19 April 2021|publisher=International Monetary Fund}}</ref> As a result of the COVID-19 recession, the unemployment rate peaked at 7.5 per cent in July 2020 before falling to 5.6 per cent in March 2021.<ref name="ABS-2021" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=15 April 2021|title=Hours worked recover to pre-COVID level|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/hours-worked-recover-pre-covid-level|access-date=19 April 2021|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=17 April 2021|title=Mortality analysis|url=https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality|access-date=19 April 2021|website=Johns Hopkins University, Coronavirus Resource Centre}}</ref>

[[File:Prime Minister Boris Johnson G7 Leaders Summit Day Two (51785562781).jpg|thumb|alt=AUKUS founders|Scott Morrison with fellow [[AUKUS]] founders Prime Minister Boris Johnston of the UK and US President [[Joe Biden]].]]

In June 2021, Australia and the United Kingdom announced that they had struck a preliminary deal on a [[Australia–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement|free-trade agreement]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=15 June 2021|title=Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement|url=https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/agreements/negotiations/aukfta|access-date=4 September 2021|website=Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade|archive-date=3 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210903232046/https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/agreements/negotiations/aukfta|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 16 September 2021, the government announced that Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States had agreed to the creation of an enhanced trilateral security partnership, dubbed [[AUKUS]]. The first initiative under AUKUS would be for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarine technology. As a result of the agreement, Australia cancelled its 2016 contract for the diesel-electric [[Attack-class submarine|''Attack''-class submarine]] with the French company Naval Group.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Senator the Hon Marise Payne|date=16 September 2021|title=Australia to pursue nuclear-powered submarines through new trilateral enhanced security partnership|url=https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/marise-payne/media-release/australia-pursue-nuclear-powered-submarines-through-new-trilateral-enhanced-security-partnership|access-date=24 September 2021|website=Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Women|archive-date=24 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924023807/https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/marise-payne/media-release/australia-pursue-nuclear-powered-submarines-through-new-trilateral-enhanced-security-partnership|url-status=dead}}</ref> The decision drew rebukes from China and France.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Dalzell|first=Stephanie|date=17 September 2021|title=China condemns AUKUS pact, Tony Abbott flags a 'common danger', Kevin Rudd urges caution|publisher=ABC News|location=Australia|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-16/aukus-china-foreign-ministry-condemns-agreement-abbott-rudd/100468900|access-date=24 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=18 September 2021|title=France withdraws ambassadors to Australia and US over submarines deal|publisher=ABC News|location=Australia|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-18/france-withdraws-ambassadors-over-submarines-deal/100473106|access-date=24 September 2021}}</ref>