Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott is taking centre stage in a new three-part documentary that tells the story of Australia through his own eyes.
Australia: A History, airing on Sky News Australia from Monday 13 October at 7.30 pm AEDT, follows Abbott on a personal journey across the country as he reflects on the people and events that shaped the nation—from its deep Indigenous heritage to modern multicultural life.
The series traces pivotal moments such as the arrival of the First Fleet, the Eureka Stockade, the gold rush and the migration waves that redefined the population. Abbott travels from Arnhem Land to Sydney Cove and on to Cabramatta, meeting historians, community figures and everyday Australians along the way.
“It was hardly an auspicious beginning but Australia has developed from convict dumping ground to a nation that’s the envy of the earth,” Abbott said. “The gravitational pull of the Australian way of life, the basic decency of the Australian people and the profoundly democratic institutions that we’ve pioneered here mean that to be an Australian is to have won the lottery of life. The better we know our national story, the more surely we’ll keep it that way.”
Guests featured include Governor-General Sam Mostyn, former prime minister John Howard, Olympic champion and former Labor senator Nova Peris, former governor-general Sir Peter Cosgrove, military historian Peter Brune, ex-NRL player Nathan Blacklock, ballet dancer and author Li Cunxin, entrepreneur Anthony Pratt, independent MP Dai Le and descendants of the First Fleet.
Sky News chief executive Paul Whittaker said the production “marks the first time our nation’s history has been conveyed from the perspective of a former Prime Minister, to inspire Australians to rediscover a history they should be proud of in a country that has made remarkable achievements against incredible odds.
“While our history is complex, reflecting our Indigenous heritage, British foundation and immigrant character, it’s important that our nation’s struggles and imperfections, endeavours and triumphs continue to be shared to remind all Australians that it is this single unifying story that connects us all.”
The documentary is based on Abbott’s book Australia: A History, published by HarperCollins, and is supported by the Institute of Public Affairs.
