Aussie MOH meets son he gave up for adoption

Aussie government minister meets son he gave up for adoption

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Australia's health minister and the son he gave up for adoption nearly 30 years ago have met for the first time, and in an amazing twist of fate discovered that they worked alongside each other in the country's Parliament building.

Daniel O'Connor was a newborn when Tony Abbott and his then-girlfriend Kathy Donnelly gave him up for adoption in 1977.

Abbott, a staunch Catholic and Rhodes Scholar who is a vocal opponent of abortion, has in the past admitted he gave up a baby for adoption but until recently did not know his identity.

O'Connor is a sound recordist in the Parliament bureau of the Australian Broadcasting Corp. and has stood next to Abbott during interviews.

O'Connor said Monday that he only learned late last year that Abbott was his father after tracking down Donnelly through an adoption agency.

"I was quite shocked really. I was just surprised more than anything that I worked in the same building as him and had met him on numerous occasions,'' he told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio from Britain, where he was on vacation.

Abbott said he also was shocked to learn he had been working in the same building as his son.

"He and I had frequently been within touching distance of each other,'' he told ABC radio.

"In particular the poor fellow had on occasion had to put an earpiece into my waxy ear. Whoever would have thought that two people hitherto unknown to each other but rather close to each other could have been so connected in this way.''

Abbott, who is married with three daughters, said he hoped to stay in touch with Daniel.

"It's up to Daniel how much contact he wants to have with me and Kathy but I very much hope he would like to have pretty close contact,'' he said.

Abbott said that his wife, Margie, and his daughters have "said to him that he ought to regard himself as part of the family, and I certainly won't be out of touch for the length of time that I was.'' - AP

Just fancy this, working in the same building and not knowing that they are in fact father and son. Well things do seem to have turned up well in the end for them. Tony Abbott's reunion with his son after giving him up for adoption 27 years ago has created headlines around Australia. And even the Aussie PM is commenting on it. This story has thrown a spotlight on the difficult and often traumatic decisions that face those involved in the adoption process. Read more here.