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Just 24 hours into accepting his new non-cabinet role in the Morrison government, Tony Abbott has shown his stripes as a true ally, and arguably a real member, of Australia’s Aboriginal community.
This comes after the Member for Warringah gave a conditional yes to taking on the job of the Federal Governmentâs Indigenous envoy.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison did not ask Mr Abbott to be a minister in his new Government, but instead asked him to take on the role of envoy, citing his close association with Aboriginal Australia after growing up in a six bedroom mansion in Sydneyâs Northern Beaches and working for the Liberal Party for nearly three decades.
Earlier in the week and before any of the details of the job had become public, Mr Abbott appeared reluctant, saying he needed to know the precise terms of what was being proposed.
However, the Member For Warringah has hit the ground running since accepting the job and has immediately started visiting different Aboriginal communities, where he is reportedly listening to their concerns and thinking about ways to resolve them.
While visiting some mob up in Cherbourg this afternoon, the Former Prime Minister says “he was handed a guitar by a couple jarjums” that asked him to sing them a song.
“Look out!” he said, before poking his tongue out and pretending to rock out on the guitar.
“Play us a song Uncle” said one of the kids.
Abbott was seen pausing for a moment, before gently launching into a heartwarming cover of Goanna’s iconic 1982 pub rock ballad ‘Solid Rock’.
The Former Prime Minister was met with a standing ovation from the crowd that had gathered at the Cherbourg Ration Shed Museum, with many declaring how much of a relief it was to finally have a politician that understands their plight.