Tony Abbott plans speaking tour of Europe to discuss Brexit and border protection

WARRINGAH  federal Liberal MP Tony Abbott has booked at least two international speaking tours for the next month and has attended a slew of interstate functions since being re-elected.

On August 12, he addressed a crowd in the Stamford Plaza Adelaide. Picture: Facebook.

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WARRINGAH  federal Liberal MP Tony Abbott has booked at least two international speaking tours for the next month and has attended a slew of interstate functions since being re-elected.

The former prime minister will speak at the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists in Prague, Czech Republic, between September 16 and 18.

The group’s website said its members were “looking forward to discussing the European migrant crisis” with their “guest of honour”.

His trip follows criticism in February by activists group People of Warringah, which said Mr Abbott was spending too much time away from the peninsula.

“He’s got a job and that is to represent the electorate of Warringah, but instead, he’s missing in action,” the group’s Nathan Thomas said at the time.

Mr Abbott defended the upcoming trip, saying his status as a former prime minister meant “there are often demands on my time – interstate and abroad”.

“I will continue to support good causes and speak out on national and international issues,” he said.

The alliance said under Mr Abbott’s leadership “Australia adopted a strict border control system and turned away boats carrying migrants before they reached the country’s shores”.

A fortnight after Prague, on October 4, Mr Abbott will lend his voice to the Brexit debate in Birmingham, UK, as a panellist at the Conservative Party Conference.

This week, Mr Abbott is in Western Australia. At the weekend he took part in the Dwellingup cycling challenge and yesterday he was in Kununurra as part of his annual indigenous trip.

Tony Abbott with other competitors at the Dwellingup 100 in Perth. Picture: Facebook.

Mr Abbott said he was still focused on challenges facing the northern beaches.

He said he remained “determined to ensure that the Warringah Peninsula gets better transport links to the rest of Sydney”.

Mr Abbott said he met regularly with constituents, citing his recent re-establishment of the Warringah Australia Remembers Committee and convening the Local Sporting Champions Committee.

“I can be judged on the nine weeks after the election or my time in Parliament over the past 20 years,” he said. “On July 2, the people of Warringah spoke and seemed to be happy enough with their local member.”

Tony Abbott’s trips since the July 2 Federal Election:

September 3 to present: He is in Western Australia.

August 26, he gave a speech to the Master Builders of Victoria

August 12, he addressed a crowd in the Stamford Plaza Adelaide