During
the Rooty Hill debate , Opposition Leader , Tony Abbott, briefly mentioned he had
managed a concrete batching plant at Silverwater,
indicating to the Western Suburbs audience that he had hard yakka work experience . Indeed . After
working for a year as a journalist with the
Bulletin magazine , he tired and
looked about for another job. According to author Michael Duffy who wrote
Latham and Abbott
The lives and rivalry of the two finest politicians of their generation ,
Random House Australia, 2004, pages 83-85, Abbott wrote to many
businessmen he knew asking them for work.
Only one replied –Sir Tristan Antico- who made him manager of
the Sydney Concrete plant, with instructions to pull
the drivers into line . He asserted his authority
over the 12 concrete truck owners, men twice
his age, inspecting their
vehicles every morning
and criticised them for
any sign of
dirt. Relations with the workforce
became strained . Due to Abbott’s action , operating a conveyor belt he had never worked before , the site was declared
black after two months . Head office
was unhappy . The book says Abbott thought he would be sacked over the incident and was forced to "grovel " to a union
official.
Abbott’s management style , Duffy stated ,
changed : there was always a case of
beer in the fridge and he had a
drink and a chat after work. Abbott asked for a
salary increase , which was refused ; he left after
nine months and went to work
at
the Australian newspaper in l989.
