This is the audio and transcript of Tony Abbott’s interview with Kerry O’Brien on The 7.30 Report on August 27, 2003.

It took place one week after Pauline Hanson and David Ettridge were found guilty of electoral fraud and sentenced to three years in jail.

Hanson and Ettridge were accused of falsely claiming that 500 members of a support movement were members of “Pauline Hanson’s One Nation”, enabling it to be registered as a political party and to claim electoral funding.

In August 2003, Tony Abbott was a cabinet minister in John Howard’s government. He was Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service. [Read more…]