12 Facts About Margie Abbott

Margaret Veronica Abbott is a New Zealand businesswoman best known as the wife of Tony Abbott, the 28th Prime Minister of Australia.

Margie Abbott has a brother, Greg, a former private investigator.

The family has always been very sport-oriented; Max Aitken is a senior soccer administrator, and Margie Abbott played soccer and netball for a number of years.

Margie Abbott's father is a member of the New Zealand Labour Party and her mother is a Labour voter.

Margie Abbott attended Fernlea School and Wainuiomata College, where among other studies she took part in a pioneering Maori-language course.

Margie Abbott taught Maori both there and later in Australia.

Margie Abbott then moved to the marketing department of a merchant bank in Sydney.

Margie Abbott eventually opened a not-for-profit child care centre in St Ives, Sydney, which employs 10 staff and cares for children from around 100 families.

Margie Abbott continued as a director of the centre after her husband became prime minister.

Margie Abbott kept a relatively low profile during her husband's tenure as prime minister, giving only a handful of interviews.

In September 2013, Margie Abbott attracted media attention when she made comments apparently supportive of same-sex marriage; her husband was one of its most prominent opponents.

Margie Abbott told the media "I suppose at the end of the day I think that love, commitment, are things that should be recognised and I think it's a conversation that Australia needs to have".