The 2010 Australian federal election took place on August 21, 2010, with no party winning a clear majority in the House of Representatives.
In a 150-seat House of Representatives, 76 had to be won by a political party for that party to be able to form government in its own right.
But with with Tony Abbott's Liberal National Party Coalition winning 73 seats and Prime Minister Julia Gillard's Australian Party 72 seats, the support of three or all four winning Independent and one Greens candidates was needed for one of the major parties to be able to form government.
Three Independents and the one elected Greens candidate eventually threw their support behind the Australian Labor Party, giving them a majority of 76 seats against 74 for the Liberal National Party and one Independent.
This was enough to ensure that Prime Minister Gillard would retain her position.
Tony Abbott, Australian Leader of the Opposition and Coalition candidate for the Prime Ministership of Australia in the 2010 federal election, has been the Federal Member of Parliament for the electorate of Warringah, which covers much of Sydney's northern suburbs, since 1994.
Tony Abbott became Leader of the Opposition by defeating then Leader Malcolm Turnbull in a leadership spill on December 1, 2009, winning by one vote.
How the Prime Minister is chosen
Under Australia's parliamentary system of government, the Prime Minister of the country is not elected directly by the people.
Rather, it is the political party with a majority in the House of Representatives — whether it is a clear majority or a majority by alignment with a minority party or parties in the event of a hung Parliament — which chooses the Prime Minister.
By custom and tradition, the position of Prime Minister goes to the Leader of the party which has gained the majority in the House of Representives and has thus been empowered to form the government of the day.
Early life and education
Tony Abbott was born to Australian parents on November 4, 1957, in London, England.
The Abbotts returned to Australia in 1960, first living in Bronte, then Chatswood.
He completed his high school studies at St Ignatius' College in Riverview, continuing on to the University of Sydney where he graduated with bachelor of economics and bachelor of laws degrees.
As a Rhodes scholar at Oxford's Queen's College, he graduated with a master of arts in politics and philosophy.
In 1983, Tony Abbott started studies for the priesthood at St Patrick's Seminary in Manly but subsequently dropped out to follow another career path.
After his election to the Federal Parliament in 1994 as a member of the Liberal Party, he served as a minister in the Howard Government which lost in the 2007 federal election.
Tony Abbott lives in the northern Sydney suburb of Forestville with wife Margaret, with whom he has three children, Louise, Bridget and Frances.
