The recent blog post, ‘Waiting for the Abbott paradox’ by AIIA National Director Melissa Conley Tyler, argues that fears about Abbott’s foreign policy should not be defined by the recent diplomatic missteps that the Prime Minister is perceived to have committed. Recent history shows that former Prime Ministers, such as John Howard and Julia Gillard, who were seen as inadequate in their handling of international affairs early in their terms became more comfortable and skilled at the international stage. If PM Abbott follows these trends, his foreign policy legacy may exceed people’s current expectations: http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2013/12/03/Waiting-for-the-Abbott-paradox.aspx