HANNANT ASKS THE HARD-HITTING QUESTIONS
FORMER rugby league international Ben Hannant is used to being a hardhitting player on the field. Yesterday, he got a taste of asking hard-hitting questions.
The 34-year-old propturned-radio host put down the microphone and picked up a pen and notepad as he tried his hand at being a Gold Coast Bulletin political journalist. It was one of 24 jobs the Sea FM presenter tried out across a 24-hour period from 9am yesterday to this morning.
The former Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys player grilled Broadwater MP David Crisafulli about his leadership ambitions and some of the Gold Coast’s most controversial projects.
Mr Hannant admitted that he had no desire for writing about the goings-on in the corridors of power.
“I’m not going to lie, political journalism is really boring to me,” he said.
“It holds no interest for me but I did enjoy talking to (Mr Crisafulli).
“It’s very different from what I do normally.”
During his hour at the Bulletin, Mr Hannant spent time preparing for his interview and then pitched his story to editor Rachel Hancock. Mr Crisafulli, who Mr Hannant knew during his stint at the Cowboys in Townsville, said the interview was a “nerveracking” experience.
“It would have been easier to run at him without a mouth guard,” he said.
“What a nerve-racking experience being grilled by an intelligent bloke looking for a political scalp in a onehour career.”