Monday, February 21, 2011

Tony Abbott owes $16,100

Summer is almost over but Tony Abbott is yet to come good on his commitment to provide surfing lessons to two Afghan refugees.

The two won the lessons in June when GetUp! bid $16,100 on eBay to win the prize offered to raise money for the charities supported by the press gallery's Mid-Winter Ball.

The $16,100 tag eclipsed the $12,600 raised for lawn bowls with Kevin Rudd and the $10,000 for dinner with then deputy Julia Gillard.

GetUp!'s Simon Sheikh says seven months on he is finding it hard to nail Tony Abbott down...

"We were told that it couldn't occur because it was winter, around the election time, the surf might not break very kindly. Now it is summer again, now we are about to go out of summer... and soon we will be at the point where the deal, which is to do it by June, will expire," he told the Ten Network's Meet the Press.

"I think that is disappointing. It was for charity. They have won the auction. We have given them a chance to go surfing and we can’t seem to get a way of getting Tony Abbott on the surfboard."

Mr Abbott's office told the Herald he stood by the commitment and was "looking to schedule it soon".

"It is something Tony will definitely honour," a spokesman said. "He has a problem with his hamstring but it will probably be right soon."

Published in today's SMH


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