Editing History of Australia (section)

==== 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>