‘There’s so much that Britain has given to us’, said Tony Abbott, addressing UK Prime Minister David Cameron in the House of Representatives just before the G20. ‘There’s so much, indeed, that Britain has given to everyone: parliamentary democracy, the common law, constitutional monarchy, and English’.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten agreed, noting that ‘our democracy, our faith in the rule of law, our respect for individual liberty and our sense of fair play are priceless gifts from [Britain]’.