Prime Minister Tony Abbott is a rather complex man, when it all boils down. So ensconced is he in the Liberal party’s extraordinarily tightly controlled mantras that seldom do any flashes of humanism emerge from him within the fast paced modern media. But deep beneath the (some might say) cold exterior does beat the heart of a man who truly believes in whatever it is he’s doing. And in a recent interview with Michelle Gratton, glimpses of a man who is proud of what he’s done, proud of those around him, and who has given and sacrificed more than the average person to get to where he is occasionally shine through the usual standard political rhetoric.
Abbott is, above all else, a man with a family that he clearly adores. But he’s a realist when it comes to the unenviable task of juggling that necessary facet of his life with the enormous demands that the nation’s highest office carries: “No senior politician can expect to have work-life balance. I’m afraid there are some jobs for which work-life balance inevitably goes out the window. So I’m not really managing the work-life balance, I’m just accepting that the work increases and the ordinary life has to decrease when you’re the prime minister.”
It’s this increase of work that has seen some favoured activities fall by the wayside, at least for the time being: “So far I’ve managed to hold on to a bike ride on Saturday or Sunday morning, probably at least two weekends out of three. But there has been bugger-all surfing since the election.”
But far from viewing the position negatively, Abbott is buoyed by the few things he is able to achieve in his spare time, such as assisting with bushfire efforts, an aspect of his life that is, admirably, rarely politicised.
Above all things, he is a fiercely loyal man to those that work hard for him, and he is quick to go to the defence of, in particular, his highly controversial Chief of Staff, Peta Credlin. “I think it is curious… that when a female chief of staff is strong the term “controlling” is used, whereas when a male chief of staff is strong “decisive” is the term used. I think she is doing a terrific job and I’m very proud of my office.”
Of course, the blue Liberal blood runs very strong in his veins, though. And as much as he strays into personal musings, he soon snaps back to the familiar script that resonated with regional and conservative Australians and swept him into power in the first place. What does he want to achieve in the next 12 months? “We’ve got to stop the boats, get the budget under control and repeal the carbon tax and the mining tax.” Repetition, after all, is a core principle of comedy.
There’s no arguing that Prime Minister Abbott is a polarising figure, often cited as flat-out unpopular. There’s certainly no arguing that his Government’s policies – particularly on social and human issues – are, at best, questionable. And there’s certainly no arguing that he is a ruthless, driven man who doesn’t take to losing that kindly. There’s a multitude of words that can, have and will be used to describe the man who currently leads this country. But “lazy” is certainly never going to be one of them.
It’s an intriguing look at a man that so many know, but so few fully understand.
You can read the full interview here.
Photo: Ryan Pierse via Getty Images.
