Liberal leader Peter Dutton has opened up about the best mistake of his life — his eldest daughter Rebecca — while sharing chowder with journalist Annabel Crabb.

The ‘hard man’ of politics appeared on the ABC’s Kitchen Cabinet on Tuesday night and revealed some personal details of his life.

His daughter Rebecca, now 21, is from a previous relationship that didn’t work out and was born weeks after Mr Dutton was elected to Federal Parliament in 2002.

Crabb commented that Mr Dutton was effectively a “single dad” at that time when he became the member for Dickson on Brisbane’s leafy outskirts.

“Like, you know, when you were around about 30, you got preselected and got elected to the seat of Dickson. You became a father for the first time. You were kind of a single dad, right, like, when you first got into parliament?,” said Crabb.

“This is before you married Kirilly.”

Mr Dutton replied that he was not with Rebecca’s mother at the time of her birth and it was a “difficult period”.

“But Rebecca is 21 now and yeah. Just turned into the most beautiful young lady. You describe it as a mistake at the time, but the best mistake I ever made. She’s just a gorgeous girl.”

Mr Dutton said his wife Kirilly had been “amazing” towards his then one-year-old baby.”

Mr Dutton also described the impact his policing career had on his role as a parent, often enforcing strict rules with his three children in order to protect them.

He has two sons with his wife of 20 years Kirilly.

Mr Dutton said dealing with criminals had changed the way he looked at people.

“Even in the way that you bring up your children. You know, not letting them out of your sight because you’ve seen, you know, some horrific cases where kids have been abducted or assaulted,” he said.

Crabb pressed him on what he would prevent his children from doing.

“You know, at parks and…and in those sort of public places, you know, going to public toilets when you’re out. Yeah, I think it always weighs on your mind because they’re pretty significant events.”

Mr Dutton said he had led a fairly “sheltered” life until he joined the police force at age 19 and had to deal with horrific crimes.

“I just hadn’t been exposed to that side, and the viciousness of some people, the depravity of others. And it’s a small element of society, thank goodness,” he said.

“But it does stay with you because it jars and it…and I think it scars, as well. And, you know, I mean, people would refer to it, I suppose, more frequently now as sort of a PTSD or just the mental hangover of…of seeing that repeatedly. And there’s a shock value, particularly those first scenes.

“And, you know, I mean, I can remember going to…to crime scenes where a young girl had been raped. And, you know, I mean, I can where a young girl had been raped.

“And, you know, to this day, you can still remember the full name of the victim, the offender, the dates of birth, the times you can still remember the full name the dates of birth, the times the dates of birth, the times and…and, you know, still picture that scene the most traumatic moment
in that person’s life and you’re sharing that journey with them.”

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Talking potatoes

Mr Dutton said since entering politics he had developed a thick skin, particularly when it came to criticisms of his appearance and any likeness he might have to a potato.

“(I) just want to unpack how you feel about all of that and what do your children make of it?” asked Crabb.

“Well, you develop a pretty thick skin, but you read it and you think, ‘Well, it’s not very nice.’ And normally it’s your wife or your mother who gets most offended by it,” he replied.

Mr Dutton said he suffered a skin condition similar to alopecia in which his hair does not grow back.

But he was not contemplating getting plugs or wearing a wig.

“I just figured that my mates would carve me up if I turned up with plugs one day,” he said.

“I haven’t enjoyed losing my hair, actually.”