Through no direct fault of her own, Frances Abbott – Prime Minister Tony Abbott‘s daughter, for those of you playing along at home – has been finding some creative ways of staying in the press as of late. Following that whole Whitehouse Institute ordeal, which we covered at some decent length, now she’s once again involved in a story that’ll furrow some brows for a variety of reasons, after it emerged that she successfully took on her – now former – landlord in a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal hearing that took place after Frances broke the lease on a Melbourne apartment after signing it only 3 days prior.
Ms Abbott, a 22 year-old adult, signed the standard 12 month lease on an apartment in the inner south-eastern Melbourne suburb of Prahran. However, following a visit from her father, as well as an assessment by both the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police, Ms Abbott withdrew from the lease citing security fears.
Among the issues cited in the police report were windows that didn’t lock, thick shrubbery surrounding the apartment, and the fact that the apartment was on the ground floor; a location that, according to the report, did not provide sufficient barrier against unlawful physical access to the unit.
The report further stated the presence of a “criminal environment” in the surrounding area. The surrounding area being Prahran. Which, for those unfamiliar with the Melbourne suburban setup, ain’t exactly Baghdad. The suburb is currently home to a number of notable Melburnians including footballing personalities Chris Judd, Paul Medhurst and Brian Taylor, actress Eliza Taylor, radio host John Safran and comedian Sammy J, among others.
During the hearing at VCAT, which began with some controversy after the first member to hear the case had to be excused due to prior involvement with the Prime Minister and his Chief of Staff, Peta Credlin, the owner of the lease revealed she had to default on her mortgage to cover the lost rent after it took some weeks to fill the apartment following Ms Abbott’s lease break. The case sought to seek compensation from this revenue lost.
Ms Abbott stated that she initially signed the lease because she “felt like being independent,” and further stated, “I felt like I should be able to do this on my own, I felt like I didn’t deserve different treatment.”
However she did admit that after signing the lease she did not feel “safe and secure.“
“I also had my dad and the police check the apartment with me … my Dad’s the Prime Minister.“
The hearing found in favour of Ms Abbott, who had already received her full bond back, along with the majority of the first month’s rent she paid in advance.
The apartment’s landlord felt that the case was not a “standard VCAT decision.”
Photo: Lisa Maree Williams via Getty Images.
via Herald Sun.
