Kids meet Abbott

By Jade Lawton
TONY Abbott was faced with two media packs at Berwick Lodge Primary School this week.
While the national media grilled him on the Henry Tax Review, Mr Abbott was more receptive to questions from students – who were keen to hear how he came into politics, and what he liked to do in his spare time.
Mr Abbott sat down with school leaders Amy Ashman, Madelyn Boorer, Jack Welland, and Cameron Wenczel for an interview, which was recorded for the school’s radio station.
“If you weren’t a politician, what would you be?” Madelyn asked.
“Well, I’d probably be a journalist still. The media is a terrific place to be in. When I was a journalist I was a frustrated politician, and now I’m a politician I’m a frustrated journalist,” Mr Abbott said.
“My favourite hobby is scrapbooking. What’s yours?” Amy asked.
“I like going surfing. Reading is another thing I like to do,” Mr Abbott replied.
Jack asked Mr Abbott what inspired him to be a politician.
“Well my teacher said at school be the best you can be. And I wanted to leave the world a better place,” he said.
“And why did you come to our school today?” Cameron asked.
“I came here because Jason, the local member, was very keen for me to come, and also because your principal Henry has been probably the most outspoken principal in the country in getting value for money, and had the courage to speak out.”
Mr Abbott then turned the questions on the students.
“And what do you think of the local member Jason?” he asked.
Silence.
“Well, that’s a hard one – do you like having the radio station?”
The students said they enjoyed using the radio station, and Mr Abbott asked if their family offered constructive feedback.
“Yeah – my family often tell me I could do much better on this, or much better than that,” he added.