Former PM Tony Abbott visits Oxford University to inspire potential young Australian leaders

Former prime minister Tony Abbott has weighed in on the rights of pro-Palestine student protesters on university grounds.

Exclusive: Former prime minister Tony Abbott has urged young Australians not to be “shrinking violets” and instead make a difference by ensuring they don’t just go with the flow.

Mr Abbott visited Oxford University in the UK on Friday to address a cohort of Australians who are studying abroad on lucrative scholarships as part of postgraduate studies supported by the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation.

Mr Abbott, who studied Queen’s College at Oxford as a Rhodes scholar in the early 1980s, addressed the Australian students at Oriel College which News Corp was invited to attend.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott at Oriel College in Oxford. Picture: Supplied

He urged the postgraduate students, many of whom have political aspirations, to “speak up”.

“If there’s one thing I would urge upon all of you, don’t be shrinking violets, if you think something is good say so, if you think something is bad say so,” Mr Abbott said.

“If you think something is wrong, speak up, if you think something is right, endorse it, but be people who make a difference as opposed to being people who simply go with the flow.

“Often enough things aren’t great and one should be part of the solution not part of the problem”.

Tony Abbott addressing students who have received scholarships as part of the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation. Photo: Supplied.

During Mr Abbott’s visit, Lord Neil Mendoza, provost of Oriel College and also a member of the House of Lords, said he was thrilled Mr Abbott paid a visit to Oxford to address the cohort of students.

“It’s not often that an Oxford College gets a visit from a former prime minister,” he said.

“Sometimes I think my job is to bring the college to the world but this is bringing the world to the college”.

Sky News Australia presenter Peta Credlin and former prime minister Tony Abbott at Oriel College in Oxford.

One of the Australian students on a scholarship, Jonathan Tjandra, 27, is studying a Doctor of Philosophy in law and he asked Mr Abbott whether students should have the right to protest on campus particularly after protests were held at Oxford University last year by pro-Palestinians groups which controversially set up encampments on uni grounds.

“I think people have a right to protest … I don’t think you should be passive in the face of oppression,” Mr Abbott said.

“But I also think it’s important not to protest in ways which cause unnecessary disruption to people who may not have the same passion”.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott at Oxford University, speaking with students who are recipients of the Ramsay postgraduate scholarships. Picture: Supplied

Noting that he is “pro-Israel”, Mr Abbott said the encampments that lasted for weeks at many universities in Australia “verged into anti-Semitism and they were both a trespass and a public nuisance”.

“I think they should have been cleared away and any vice chancellor with a backbone should have said after a couple of hours ‘enough is enough, you’re off’,” he said.

Sky News Australia host Peta Credlin also attended Oxford and alongside Mr Abbott they will both attend the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship in London this week.

The three-day event will include speakers from around the world including UK’s Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, Canadian psychologist and author Jordan Peterson and British commentator Douglas Murray.

Mr Abbott will feature on a panel discussing free trade agreements hosted by Ms Credlin and panellists include the UK’s former secretary of state for education Michael Gove.

For more on Mr Abbott’s visit to Oxford watch Credlin on Sky News Australia at 6pm AEDT on Monday.

Originally published as Former PM Tony Abbott visits Oxford University to inspire potential young Australian leaders