SYDNEY, July 16 (Reuters) - Australia's conservative opposition leader Tony Abbott, nicknamed the "Mad Monk" after once flirting with the priesthood, has resurrected his Liberal-National coalition's chances in upcoming elections.
A pugnacious and socially conservative Catholic, Abbott has opposed everything from attempts to make Australia a republic to embryonic stem cell research and same-sex marriages to carbon trading to combat climate change.
His book on Australian conservative politics published in 2009 was titled "Battlelines". But his "shoot-from-the-lip" style has offended various sections of the population and seen him perform several backflips on policy.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard once confided to a senior conservative politician that she felt "almost maternal" towards Abbott, according to media reports.
"He’s like a child stumbling towards a fire, you know he’s going to burn himself. I sometimes feel like reaching out to protect him," Gillard reportedly said.
Gillard is likely to call an election for August 28, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported on its website on Friday.
Abbott has warned voters not to believe everything he says.
"I know politicians are going to be judged on everything they say but sometimes in the heat of discussion you go a little bit further than you would if it was an absolutely calm, considered, prepared, scripted remark," he said.
Yet Abbott’s straight-talking has resonated with many Australians disillusioned by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s bureaucratic speech, winning back voters to conservative parties.
Only a few weeks ago, the Liberal-National coalition was ahead of the Labor government and on track for election victory.
The dumping of Rudd for Gillard last month has put the ruling Labor party back in front for a narrow election victory.
Abbott’s tough campaign style will be a major factor in whether he can end Labor’s rule after only one term.
ABBOTT THE IRONMAN
The London-born Abbott, 53, has never been shy of a parliamentary battle and once represented Oxford University at boxing while studying there as an Australian Rhodes Scholar.
He holds a Bachelor of Law and Economics from the University of Sydney and a Masters of Politics and Philosophy from Oxford.
A keen surfer and fitness fanatic, he appears regularly in swimming trunks while training for beach lifesaving duty, further adding to his reputation as a publicity savvy operator.
This year he completed a gruelling Ironman race, swimming 3.8 km (2.4 miles), cycling 180 km (112 miles) and running 42 km (26 miles). It took him up to 17 hours to cross the finish line.
Abbott had aspired to joining the Catholic church and studied at a seminary before changing career paths and publicly saying he was too interested in attractive women to become a priest.
Before his move into politics he worked as a journalist and was a feature writer for the now defunct The Bulletin news magazine and The Australian national newspaper.
Abbott has been in parliament for 15 years, serving as health minister in the last conservative government.
He is a leading conservative party intellectual who marshalled opposition to the government’s emissions trading plan to secure the conservative leadership in December 2009.
Abbott has continued to steer conservative parties towards the right, opposing Labor policies such as a new mining tax profit which miners said threatened more than $20 billion in investment, and vowed to reintroduce mandatory detention of boatpeople in Pacific and Indian Ocean detention camps.
"The Abbott persona appeals to some people, and intrigues but worries others," said The Age newspaper in a profile on Abbott.
"Abbott’s task is to persuade voters he is a real alternative, not just a colourful character."
