Politician Turns Pizza Man

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian Treasurer Peter Costello said Wednesday he had taken time out to deliver pizza advertising leaflets -- to cover for his 14-year-old son.

Costello, heir apparent to Prime Minister John Howard, confessed to donning a hat and overcoat in a bid to disguise himself while delivering the flyers for his son, who had neglected his after-school delivery job.

``Like a lot of kids he was out all weekend and he hadn't done his rounds so I thought I'd better do it for him,'' Costello told the Seven Network's Current Affair program.

``I donned a hat and a big overcoat and went round in the early hours of the morning delivering leaflets for the local pizza joint,'' Costello said.

The treasurer, who delivered his sixth federal budget on Tuesday, said his son at least appeared to be an entrepreneur.

``He gets paid A$3 (US$1.55) an hour but I want you to know he didn't share any of it with me... he's obviously a businessman because he had someone working for him for free,'' Costello said.