A good start

The greatest lesson probably is that it is OK to be unpopular at times, as long as you are unpopular on a point of principle. Electors are more likely to reward governments that stand for something than those who stand only for their own continuing reelection.

The second is to stay humble, disciplined and hooked-in to the public. If you align yourself with their concerns then they will reward you, and what's more you will be likely to be governing well.

A third is not to get carried away by the result. Abbott won largely because he wasn't Rudd. The rise of new micro-parties demonstrates how disillusioned voters are with almost all politicians.

And a fourth is to build a coalition for change and not to attempt too much. If a first term Abbott government turns back the boats, abolishes the carbon tax and the ETS, and delivers on most of its other promises, while establishing a case for economic reform, it will probably have done as much as it feasibly can.

While I favour rapid economic reform on the Kennett model, Abbott does not have that opportunity because of the small target strategy he adopted. He will need to be more like John Howard.

There is a lot of potential in an Abbott government. Many of the media organisations concentrated on policies and facts this election, but in truth elections are about trust and tendencies.

Any party can promise anything, but that doesn't mean they will deliver.

I'd like to see Australia as a more self-confident country, realistic about its place in the world, and full of citizens who are creative and take responsibility for themselves and care for others.

Abbott models a lot of those virtues. He is strong and resilient, and also a deep thinker. He is adaptable, and cautious, and not ostentatious. He has a moral base that doesn't appear to have changed much in at least 30 years.

I don't agree with everything that he says, but I do believe that there is generally a deeper reason for it than "Will it get me elected?"

Which is the strongest lesson from the election – if your only gauge of whether you should do something or not is whether you will in a vote, then in the long run, you probably won't win that vote.

As Abbott says, now is the time for governing. He's had a good win, and deserves to be given a fair run.