Tony Abbott invoked a Labor legend, declared his government was setting an economic example for the rest of the world and labelled Russia a bully during a wide-ranging speech to the United Nations.
Making his inaugural speech to the UN General Assembly, the prime minister drew inspiration from an unlikely source - former Labor prime minister Ben Chifley.
"One of our prime ministers once talked about our great objective - our `light on the hill' as he put it - to work for the betterment of mankind, not just at home but wherever we can lend a helping hand," Mr Abbott said on Thursday, local time.
Mr Abbott said the world was wracked with problems - Islamic State, Russian aggression in Ukraine, Ebola and economic stagnation - but all could be overcome.
Australia, he said, would always play its part.
"We're strong enough to be useful but pragmatic enough to know our limits," he told the half-full assembly chamber.
"We have never believed that we can save the world single-handedly, but nor have we shrunk from shouldering our responsibilities."
Mr Abbott emphasised the importance of global economic growth, saying it wouldn't solve every problem but it would make many problems easier to tackle.
The prime minister couldn't resist pointing to his own government's economic efforts, saying Australia wasn't just preaching but "trying to lead by example".
He cited the abolition of the carbon and mining taxes, the approval of new infrastructure projects and the government's bid to eliminate the budget deficit.
Mr Abbott also took aim at Russia once again for the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
Australia was naturally sympathetic towards Ukraine as it struggled to "preserve its independence and territorial integrity against a bully".
The prime minister's speech came a day after he addressed the UN Security Council on the terrorist threat posed by Islamic State foreign fighters.
On Thursday morning, he had a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, in which he raised the case of jailed Australian journalist Peter Greste.
Mr Abbott also had one-on-one meetings with the leaders of Iraq, the Netherlands and Lebanon during his second day of talks on the UNGA's sidelines.
He is due to leave New York on Friday.
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