Tony Abbott, former Prime Minister, onion eater, and surf livesaver, was spectacularly booted out of his seat of Warringah at the 2019 election, a seat he’d held for 25 years. Independent Zali Steggall, a newcomer who campaigned heavily on climate change reform, took over the job.
People took great pleasure in celebrating the demise of a man who became synonymous with wrecking, sniping, and climate change denial. There is no other politician in recent history who has done more weird shit than Tony.
But now that he’s out of Canberra, out of Warringah, and presumably chilling on the Northern Beaches somewhere unemployed, Abbott is probably thinking about the annual taxpayer-funded pension he’ll receive of around $300,000. This large sum of cash is all thanks to Abbott being elected before 2004, when government pensions were restructured. Abbott, like a small handful of politicians still in parliament, qualifies to receive a percentage of his base MP wage ($207,000) and then even more dough based on things like years served and roles undertaken. After 25 years in the job, Tony is already entitled to 75% of that figure.
Then let’s not forget just many jobs Ol’ Tones had while working for the government, including Prime Minister. He receives a percentage loaded on top of his MP salary for that, too. One better: his pension will go up with any increases in salary MPs receive.
Abbott also has the option to take half his pension in an upfront sum and reduce his yearly intake to around $150,000.
Either way you look at it, Toney certainly won’t be struggling to get by.
