FED:From poverty to history for Ken Wyatt

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2010
FED:From poverty to history for Ken Wyatt

By Josh Jerga

PERTH, Aug 22 AAP - Liberal candidate Ken Wyatt has overcome a childhood of poverty
to be on the verge of making history, by becoming the first indigenous member of the House
of Representatives.

But it would not have been possible without a quality education.

Mr Wyatt grew up in a family of 10 where money was so tight, he helped out by trapping rabbits.

Recently at the 70th birthday of his primary school teacher, Ms Abernathy, he brought
her a gift that captured the financial struggles his family faced.

"I took her an apple," he told AAP.

"When I was a kid I never had the chance to take (her) an apple because we just couldn't
afford it."

When he reached year 10, his parents Mona Phyllis and Donald were approached by the
local Rotary Club who deemed their son "worth supporting" and sponsored him so he could
undertake his leaving certificate.

During the school holidays, he would work odd jobs to support his family.

"I did that to put food on the table for my family and buy clothes because we were
relying on hand-me-downs," Mr Wyatt said.

"That taught me an ethos of working hard. Education is a major reason for my success."

As counting continued in the seat of Hasluck on Sunday, Mr Wyatt was ahead of Labor
incumbent Sharryn Jackson by only about 400 votes.

If elected, the former director of Aboriginal health in WA and NSW has vowed to use
his maiden speech to pay tribute to Kevin Rudd for his apology to the stolen generation.

"When he delivered his address to the house that day, being a typical macho male I
really didn't think the emotions would impact me as much as they were," Mr Wyatt told
AAP.

"I must admit I was sitting there with tears because I knew what my mother and her
brothers and sisters had gone through, particularly knowing the abuse that happened to
her.

"I wish my mother was alive and (could) have seen."

Mr Wyatt said when the tears flowed down his face, he was probably feeling the relief
that the pain of her experiences had been acknowledged.

Mr Wyatt's mother, Mona Phyllis Abdullah, was taken from her parents when she was about
five and placed in Roelands mission, south of Perth.

AAP jsj/sn

KEYWORD: POLL10 WYATT PROFILE

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