The Sky News network has surprised observers of Australia’s media industry by engaging a newly recruited member of its “after dark” team to conduct the first interview of former prime minister, Tony Abbott, following his election as Liberal Party federal president.

After he was endorsed unopposed by the Liberal Party’s federal council in Melbourne, Mr Abbott bypassed all other media representatives covering the event and made a beeline for the new Sky News host, Genghis Khan.

Mr Khan warmly welcomed the former PM and noted that their paths had not crossed since they were both handing out Liberal how-to-vote cards at a Sydney pre-poll centre during the 2025 federal election campaign.

Sky News broke into its regular programming to carry the live interview but its transmission was delayed after there was some awkwardness between the two men as they attempted to position themselves in front of the Sky TV camera.

Mr Abbott at first stood on Mr Khan’s right side, a position he said “will send the Right signal… I mean the right signal to viewers and voters”.

Mr Khan insisted that Mr Abbott should stand on his, Mr Khan’s, left side and at some distance away “because then viewers will Rightly… I mean rightly see that you are well to my right”.

In the end a compromise was reached with Mr Abbott appearing to the right of Mr Khan to viewers but close to him. (main picture)

Media industry observers expressed surprise that Mr Abbott’s former chief of staff and now Sky News “after dark” host, Peta Credlin, (below) was not chosen to conduct the live interview.

“Peta herself volunteered to sit this one out,” the spokesperson explained.

“She knows the rules Sky applies and is well aware that if she did the first interview with our new President Abbott, then viewers may think she was giving him and our party an easy time of it.”

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