Fed: Don't step down because of me, says deputy PM's wife
By Rosemary Desmond
BRISBANE, Aug 12 AAP - Julia Anderson doesn't want her husband to quit politics on her account.
Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson's possible retirement from politics has been thesubject of speculation for months.
But today Mrs Anderson said she did not want to sway her husband either way.
"I don't want to be the reason John leaves politics or the reason he stays in politicsand I've seen both," Mrs Anderson told journalists outside a Queensland National Partywomen's lunch in Brisbane today.
"I'd just like to support him in where he is at the moment and whatever decision he makes.
"Politics is very grinding - especially as you reach the upper echelons - it's veryphysically demanding, very mentally demanding and a day is a long time in politics."
Mr Anderson has maintained he still has no deadline for his retirement despite tellingcolleagues he wanted to spend more time with his family on their property at Gunnedahin northern NSW.
His wife also said she had no wish to emulate Linda Lavarch, Queensland Labor MP forKurwongbah and follow her husband into politics.
Michael Lavarch, now president of the Law Council of Australia, was federal Attorney-Generalin the Keating government.
"I think John is far more gifted and talented than I am," Mrs Anderson said.
"He's a very wise man but I think I am better on the home front."
The Andersons have four children, a girl aged 15, a boy 13 and two girls aged 10 and seven.
Mrs Anderson said she wouldn't be pushing them into a future career in politics either.
"I think I would steer them in directions where their strengths are but I wouldn'tbe steering them to politics necessarily," Mrs Anderson said.
AAP rad/sc/sco/de
KEYWORD: ANDERSON (PIX AVAILABLE)
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