PRIME MINISTER TONY ABBOTT’S TASMANIAN SOJOURN

Cressy District High School leader Patrick Heery presents Prime Minister Tony Abbott with $50 students raised for the Pollie Pedal event which donates to Carers Australia.

Star Perth Tasmania cyclist Georgia Baker and Federal Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson share a joke after the Pollie Pedal ride to Cressy District High School where they stopped for morning tea.

It almost seems as though Prime Minister Tony Abbott has moved to Northern Tasmania lately.

Since the end of February, Mr Abbott has been here twice for major funding announcements.

And he flew into the North another three times during the four day Pollie Pedal event late this month (March) to take part in the annual politicians’ fundraising ride in which he has ridden every year.

Federal Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson, who is a keen cyclist, rode for three of the four days alongside Mr Abbott as it moved through his Lyons electorate from Deloraine to Exeter, Cressy and Evandale.

The event was welcomed to the North at a cocktail party at the Deloraine Bowls Club on the Friday night (March 27).

Federal Social Services Minister Scott Morrison stood in for Mr Abbott at the cocktail party when he had to fly back to Melbourne for former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser’s funeral.

Mr Abbott flew back to Northern Tasmania the next day (March 28) to officially unveil new honour boards at the Exeter RSL Club funded by a Federal Government Centenary of ANZAC grant before riding in the afternoon Pollie Pedal stage which finished at George Town.

He then flew to Singapore for the funeral of the country’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew before returning to Tasmania to pick up the Pollie Pedal event for its last day of riding on Monday (March 30) via Cressy and Evandale back to Launceston.

Mr Abbott, Mr Hutchinson and the other riders stopped at Cressy District High School for morning tea where some of the senior students presented Mr Abbott with a cheque for $50 which they had raised for Pollie Pedal.

Mr Abbott and Mr Hutchinson also toured the operation of the national award-winning Tasmanian Quality Meats, at Burlington Road, not far from Cressy School.

They met Evandale Football Club members at the Evandale club rooms before riding onto Launceston.

Since late February, Mr Abbott has announced $60 million towards Tasmania’s tranche two irrigation schemes, three of which will be constructed in Lyons.

He has also announced more than $200 million over four years to significantly expand the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme which will enable north-bound freight out of the state to be eligible for the subsidy.
FEDERAL Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson