Parenting Australia

Parenting Australia meets devoted Dad and Footy legend Benny Elias

Ben Elias: They're my everything! My daughters, Montana, 16 and Crawford 14, live on the North Shore with their wonderful mother. Montana is at Winona and Crawford goes to Riverview.

PA: It sounds like you have a good relationship with your ex-wife.

BE: It's fantastic. We've always made our children our first priority. That was our one mutual agreement and we stand by it.

PA: Has Montana got a boy friend?

BE. Yes and he's a good kid.

PA: You seem like a protective daddy.

BE: Montana and I have got such a great relationship. I have only one rule for Liam. I will treat you the way you treat Montana. He often joins us at the footy, he makes her happy and if she's happy I'm happy

PA: Just wondering about your business. After you retired from football, you went back to university?

BE: No. I studied at university whilst I was playing football and I was selling radio airspace on 2GB, Alan Jones, who was my coach when I was selling at 2GB, was the number one announcer for 2UE. We used to banter. 2GB was rating .2 and Allan Jones was rating 22.

I got into the mobile phone business in the early 90's. I met a bloke from England who told me that his company had sold 15,000 phones He was looking for a partner in Australia. Optus came to Australia and I started selling their mobiles. In 93-94 we sold more than 35,000. I retired from football at 29 to concentrate on business at the peak of my football career.

One store became 42 nationally. Lextor Communications became strong in Tasmania, Adelaide and Darwin. Our timing was terrific.

We stayed away from Sydney and Melbourne. A full page ad in Tasmania landed huge results. We cornered a healthy share of that market.

It was a real culture shock to move from the football world to business but I enjoyed the challenge. The real backbone of being an athlete or a businessman is hard work.

PA Mia Freedman recently made comments on Channel 9,What did you think about them?

BE: We all say things that we regret sometimes. Australians celebrate success. When a cyclist makes history winning the Tour de France, it IS cause to celebrate.

Cadel's victory should have resulted in a public holiday. It would have made people proud and positive. When the sun shines business does better because people go out and shop. When it's raining, the public spirit can match the gloom of the day. When we have a reason to celebrate, get happy! She said we give too much credibility to athletes and not enough to, say, those in the health industry. But she often features herself in the media.

PA: Recipe for success?

BE: If you believe you can't do it, you probably can't. But if you believe you can, you're 90% there. If you don't dream or have a vision then you lack ambition.

I still dream. Dream about something that you would really like to do and you may be able to make that dream come true.

One of my dearest friends was Richard Pratt, a multi––billionaire with whom I lunched every Wednesday. I always paid my own way. He said to me: "Ben, I've got every jerk in the world asking me for money or wanting me to invest in some venture. You've never asked me for anything and you still pay for lunch". I told him: "Richard, I don't want anything. I'm eating the same food as you do, drinking the same wine. We are breathing the same air. There isn't much more I want."

PA: And I think it is a respect thing as well, just because someone has money doesn't mean they should pay for you.

BE: That's the way I am. What defines success in life? Mine is my family. My relationship with my children is wonderful. We sincerely love each other. Do I enjoy money? Yes. Do I enjoy challenges? Absolutely. Do I still set myself goals at the age of 47 in my life? Absolutely.

PA:Are you still participating in sport?

BE: I'm still a rugby league junky but I don't play. I spend a lot of time in the gym and I am a regular at the Football Stadium and Fitness First.

PA: Outside of your business interests, how else do you spend your time?

BE: I grew up with Scott Gale, one of my teammates at the Tigers. He died in 2004 as a result of motor neuron disease. I spend time in conjunction with his widow Megan educating people what to look for in order to seek an early diagnosis. I also work as a fund-raiser for the Oncology Foundation

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