Peter Dutton's family reveal the real man behind the hardline persona

The opposition leader's wife of 21 years, Kirilly Dutton, told 60 Minutes her life partner was a "great mate, a good son and an excellent dad".

The pair reminisced about their first date at the Port Office Hotel in Brisbane back in 2001, when the now-Liberal leader approached with a vodka red bull drink in hand.

"Nothing rattles her," Mr Dutton said of his wife.

"[She is] just stoic and supportive … and has always been a bedrock, and that's never changed from day one."

When the pair met, Mr Dutton had already been married and divorced and was expecting a child, his daughter Rebecca, with another former partner.

The couple's sons, Harry and Tom, came along a few years later.

"It's nice to watch actually, [the kids] are all so close," Mr Dutton said. 

Spurred on by his young family, he rose quickly through the ranks of the Liberal party.

There he gained an unforgiving reputation for his hardline approach to the defence, immigration and home affairs portfolios.

Mrs Dutton said her husband was not necessarily "misunderstood" but the nature of his job meant you "can't meet everybody every day".

"The jobs he has done in government have been really tough jobs and he's done them really well, but that gives you a particular persona," she Dutton said.

Mr Dutton opened up about the impact of his work on his family, including when a number of death threats were sent to the childcare businesses his wife managed. 

"The absolute worst part of this job is that your family, your wife, your children, your friend .. are all sucked into that vortex that you've created and they haven't sought it," he said.

"But that's the reality of it."

Dutton's children told 60 Minutes they're proud of their dad.

"I really hope you can see him as another person if he does become prime minister," Rebecca said.

But all three ruled out a run at politics of their own.

"You won't see another Dutton go through politics," Harry Dutton said.

"Not a chance."

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