Tony Abbott was sworn in as Australia's new prime minister on Wednesday, officially ending six years of Labor rule, with the conservative vowing to get straight down to business. The 55-year-old leader of the Liberal/National coalition government was sworn in at Government House in Canberra by Governor-General Quentin Bryce. Tony Abbott promised to end immediately the previous government's carbon tax and other climate change measures. Abbott's conservative coalition won the general election on September 7 with a solid majority in the lower house, but he will have to deal with a range of minor parties which will hold the balance in the Senate to get legislation through parliament. Abbott has been criticised inside his own party for only choosing one woman in his cabinet - Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. Retiring conservative Senator Susan Boyce said it was "embarrassing internationally." Labor acting leader Chris Bowen said Afghanistan now had more women in government than Australia.
