Margie Abbott - Interview with Neil Mitchell,
Radio 3AW, Melbourne
NEIL MITCHELL:
Mrs Abbott, good morning.
MARGIE ABBOTT:
Good morning Neil.
NEIL MITCHELL:
He’s a bit of a dork isn’t he?
MARGIE ABBOTT:
Well, look when I first met him, I think that would perhaps be an apt description, but you know after 24 years of married life and 23 of those as a father to daughters, I think the dorkiness has perhaps been toned down somewhat and you know on the odd occasion, I think the girls have actually been pleasantly surprised at what Tony’s decided to step out in.
NEIL MITCHELL:
I remember, I think it was Jeff Kennett’s wife Felicity saying she was a civilian. I know my wife says a similar thing on an entirely different level, what made you decide to become part of the political process here?
MARGIE ABBOTT:
Well I – about two weeks ago Neil, Tony and I were having a rare breakfast at home and I said to him that [inaudible] his family know and so that’s basically what I’ve done. I’ve written this article, I’m giving a speech in Western Sydney today and as a result there is a bit of media interest.
NEIL MITCHELL:
But why?
MARGIE ABBOTT:
Because I fear – well, it is unfair Neil. It is wrong. Tony is a man who is outgoing, he’s energetic, he’s larger than life, but he’s a man who is also sensitive, he’s consultative. All of the negatives that are painted, there is another side to Tony Abbott and those negatives I fear are wrong and I wanted to present that side Neil and I don’t want to play politics because I am a private person but I felt strongly about this that I wanted to step up.
NEIL MITCHELL:
But I guess that’s where I’m getting at. You’ve now made a decision to do this which really makes you part of the political game doesn’t it? I mean, I’m not saying you will be targeted but you could be because…
MARGIE ABBOTT:
Oh absolutely.
NEIL MITCHELL:
You’ve come out…
MARGIE ABBOTT:
Well politics is a brutal business and you have to have a very tough hide and I understand all of that and I appreciate that I probably will be criticised by certain sectors, but this is the man that I love and things are being said about him that are not true or that are distorted and I feel strongly enough about this. I mean what potentially we’re looking at here is somebody who wants to be, you know, the alternate Prime Minister and this is a very important job, it’s a very honourable job and I don’t think we can lose sight of that and let the political argument be swayed by distortions.
NEIL MITCHELL:
Do you get angry about it when these things happen? As you say, it’s a brutal game.
MARGIE ABBOTT:
I think the honest answer Neil, and I always try to be an honest person, is yes. But for 19 years, I accept this and look this article and my speech today is not about woe is me and this is a tough life because many Australians have very tough lives. This is basically saying, I am drawing a line in the sand and I can’t stay quiet because in some respects, Neil, this is actually questioning the women in Tony Abbott’s life as well. You know, if they are making these claims about my husband, Australians must be saying well what type of woman is married to this man and what are his daughters like? So, I felt that this was time for me to say, this is who I am and in my speech today I give a fairly wide ranging introduction to myself and what I believe in and what I would hope to do. I talk about our daughters and the fact that we are strong and we are capable women and we are part of his life. He has been shaped by us as much as we have been shaped by him.
NEIL MITCHELL:
You say you’re giving the speech you refer to what you want to do. Do you mean if you become Australia’s first lady?
MARGIE ABBOTT:
Well, if I had that great honour I certainly would enjoy doing a number of things and particularly in the area of recognising the early learning, particularly the early learning of under-fives, also in the area of child protection. I had the great honour this week of visiting the Child Protection Society of Victoria, which was a great opportunity and both personally and professionally was inspiring and certainly I would be very, very happy to herald the importance of child protection and looking after those children and families on the edges of our society. I mean they’re just two areas Neil where if I had the opportunity I would certainly be very keen to add a voice.
NEIL MITCHELL:
Do you recognise there’s probably a political risk in doing this? There will be people, there will be quite some cynical reactions to it saying it’s a political stunt. Does that concern you?
MARGIE ABBOTT:
Well, I mean, yeah. Does concern me? I accept that it will happen. I understand the political process even though I’ve kept it very much at arms length but I think, as I say Neil, what has driven me to do this, to write the article and to give the speech is to defend my husband against inaccuracies and I think, I’m appreciative of the opportunity to be able to speak to you and to get this message out but it is very important to me and I think it’s very important for our daughters as well. Politics aside.
NEIL MITCHELL:
What is his weakness?
MARGIE ABBOTT:
Pardon?
NEIL MITCHELL:
What is his weakness?
MARGIE ABBOTT:
What is his weakness? Well, in my speech today Neil I talk about his optimism and I talk about all the good things about Tony Abbott. The one weakness that I do highlight is that he likes a race and you know, I tell a good story about buying a, we bought a kayak to have as a joint Christmas present and we thought about getting two kayaks but realised that it probably always end up in a race and I probably wouldn’t be the winner so, if I had one criticism, that would be it. But look, I think that’s what drives him, that’s what keeps him going and does seem to be admired because you know, this is a long race and it’s a hard race.
NEIL MITCHELL:
Was he a journalist when you first met him?
MARGIE ABBOTT:
He was. He was working for the Bulletin.
NEIL MITCHELL:
Geez, you sign on for a journalist and then end up running for the highest office. Big change.
MARGIE ABBOTT:
Well, yeah. Doesn’t life have lots of twists and turns, Neil?
NEIL MITCHELL:
Two questions to finish. One. You pick those soft blue ties. He was so proud of those ties. I saw him at the Grand Final. He was showing me his blue tie.
MARGIE ABBOTT:
Well, he has decided that blue is his colour and I think it highlights his wonderful eyes, Neil.
NEIL MITCHELL:
And the other thing, what do you think about him in budgie smugglers?
MARGIE ABBOTT:
Look, he was, budgie smugglers have a place on the beach. If you’re a surf lifesaver and you’re swimming out to save somebody, a budgie smuggler gives you great action through the water. And you know that’s what he was doing. He was on the beach as a surf lifesaver.
NEIL MITCHELL:
Yeah, but how does he look?
MARGIE ABBOTT:
He looks ok! He looks ok and may I say, he’s, for a man of 54 coming up 55, he’s not in bad shape.
NEIL MITCHELL:
Thank you very much for your time.
MARGIE ABBOTT:
My pleasure. Thank you Neil.
[ends]
Federal