TRANSCRIPT: Interview – ABC Goulburn Murray, Victoria – Bronwen O’Shea 26 February 2019
Subjects: Political outlook; opening of Senator Bridget McKenzie’s office at Wodonga Vic; polling; Murray Darling Basin Plan; a strong economy; Nationals’ candidate for Indi Mark Byatt; border security; climate policy.
E&OE:
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
For the National Party the past year has been very much mired by personal scandals, resignations and poor results for the Party and its Coalition partner, certainly at the Victorian state election most recently. So where to now for The Nationals as we are just a few months away from a federal election and even closer to a NSW state election.
Michael McCormack is the Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of The Nationals and he’s in Wodonga this morning and he has kindly agreed to come into the studio. Good morning to you.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Good morning Bronwen.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
How are you going to turn the tide for The Nationals?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well at the outset there I thought you were talking about the Koreans mired in scandal and a bad result at the Victorian election, but the fact is it’s onwards and upwards towards the future and it’s a bright future for The Nationals. People in regional areas know that when they’ve got a Nationals representative, a Nationals fighter like Mark Byatt for the seat of Indi, then it’s going to be delivering outcomes for them. I’m really looking forward to this morning opening Bridget McKenzie’s new office in Wodonga, at 172 High Street, and a community breakfast – so I’d advise anybody if they want a sausage sizzle to drop down, have a chat with us, tell us your issues, tell us your concerns and tell us how we can better serve you.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
And there are concerns because you say that the future is bright but the results haven’t been poor for the Coalition and indeed for The Nationals; the Wagga by-election is an example of that, now held by an Independent. So what work do you need to do to rebuild that trust?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
We’ll be getting out there, town by town, district by district, seat by seat. We did that last election in 2016. We were there. We were on the ground and we were talking to people but more importantly we were listening to their concerns – and we’ve acted. We have been in Government and certainly The Nationals in Government are the people who have delivered. Look at Bridget McKenzie’s delivery of 867 mobile black spot phone towers, either installed or funded. Now that didn’t happen under Labor. That’s happened thanks to The Nationals and the regional Liberals. We get out there and we deliver.
I know that Mark Byatt is going to do exactly the same thing for Indi.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
Are voters seeing that demonstration of commitment by The Nationals to regional communities…the polls are very consistent and I know – I will say it before you do – the only poll that counts is the election day…
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Indeed.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
…but Labor continues to lead two party preferred on this week’s Newspoll 53-47, so when you reflect on the Government’s policies over the last three years, where do you think you’ve missed the mark with the public?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Polls are one thing. You ask people if they have been polled and most people will tell you that they haven’t. The fact is the polls will tighten. They always do, leading up to a federal election. We will be in the hunt in the polls as the election draws nearer. We will be producing a surplus Budget on April 2. That’s the first surplus Budget in at least a dozen years. Labor hasn’t produced a surplus Budget since 1989.
That aside, we’ve done a lot. There’s $500 million on the table for more water infrastructure. We’ve addressed the drought. Yes, we can do more and certainly we will do more, but that $3.9 billion Future Drought Fund – which I have to say Labor voted against – is going to be important to help further drought-proof our nation.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
Just on that, there’s so much disillusion with the Murray Darling system and the way it’s being managed – I think…
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
…A bipartisan management structure, I might add…
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
Yes, and I think from the people we speak to, no matter whether they are from the environmental perspective or from a small business perspective or from an irrigator or farmer perspective, nobody’s happy. I mean do you…
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Nobody’s happy when it doesn’t rain.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
…You can’t please everyone, but nobody’s pleased.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
We can’t make it rain. Sadly we can’t and of course…
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
…but that Basin Plan is supposed to be there to help when it doesn’t rain; that’s the reason…
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Indeed. It is an environmental document, but the fact is, it just hasn’t rained. In the Menindee Lakes it’s a very very sad situation. There have been hundreds of fish kills since 1980 and that section of the river there and around Bourke has dried up a number of times, 45 times in fact since 1960, so…
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
You’ve got a Budget surplus that you’re preparing for; can money help or do you just have to wait for rain?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
The economy is growing and it’s growing thanks to our fiscal policies. Those Free Trade Agreements have helped. If you talk to small businesses, paying the lowest tax rate in 79 years I might add, many of them are in a good position. They feel confident in our small business policies and of course we saw the access to justice situation thanks to The Nationals last week which is going to give small business the opportunity to – if they are leaned on by big business – to have the opportunity to say: This isn’t fair and we shouldn’t have to pay for court action when we’re being unfairly treated. The fact is the tax rate, the instant asset write-off extended to $25,000 – they are good measures for small business. We want small businesses to continue to employ more people. When you talk about unemployment figures, you know there’s 12 million people in employment now and many of them are employed by small business.
The employment numbers are strong and good. We want to continue to grow the economy and we want the opportunity to do so.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
It’s 16 past 7 and you’re speaking with Michael McCormack, Deputy Prime Minister, Leader of The Nationals and in Wodonga today to open Deputy Leader Bridget McKenzie’s new Wodonga office. He’s given some of his time here this morning to speak on ABC Goulburn Murray.
Indi – you mentioned Mark Byatt at the outset: It’s very much there for the taking, that’s what I hear from the community here (inaudible) with the right campaigning. We know that that’s possible. The Nationals only had one nomination which was Mark Byatt – why? Why weren’t people lining up to run as The Nationals candidate?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
He is an outstanding nomination. When you get somebody who has such a history for regional development, being the Mayor of Wodonga for five years from 2008 to 2013 – somebody who is intrinsically entrenched in the community, I think sometimes that probably scares some other candidates off. I know that’s happened in a number of electorates. The fact is, they think well let’s get behind him, and I know The Nationals here in this seat and surrounding districts, seats, are really getting behind Mark because he is such an outstanding candidate. We’re pleased to have him.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
Have you left the run too late?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Absolutely not at all. There are many seats right around Australia where they still don’t have candidates for a lot of the Parties. That’s just the way it is and …
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
…this is probably different seat, isn’t it, because with the retirement of Cathy McGowan it is very much…
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
It can also be argued that it’s reasonably late so we’ve taken the opportunity to put an outstanding candidate – Marty Corboy has done a good job in past elections, but it’s Mark’s time. I know he’s going to be an outstanding candidate for us. He will be putting his best foot forward. I know he will certainly be getting out to communities. I know he was in Cudgewa yesterday. He’s from that area. He’s got a lot of history there. But more importantly right throughout the entire electorate he is going to be a very visible presence in the weeks and months ahead.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
I know I need to let you go very soon because you have a ribbon to cut, presumably, but a couple of the dominating stories that have been across politics, certainly in the lead-up to the election: The polls, obviously we have talked on that and the result for the Coalition don’t want to see there, basically the two party-preferred: Does that suggest to you that the border protection focus has not worked or maybe that there was a backlash to the whole (inaudible) scandal?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
When you talk about border protection, I know when I went to the State Nationals’ launch in Queanbeyan on Sunday, a lot of the State candidates told me when they were doorknocking over the last week that border protection was the number one issue. Border protection, jobs – those sorts of things, small business tax rates – they are the sorts of things they said people were focussing on – because people want jobs, they want job security, they also want to make sure that our borders remain tight.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
Is border protection for you personally though, is that what you are hearing from people, one of the most pressing concerns for people in regional areas?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
It has been in the last fortnight, yes, because Labor wants to weaken our border policies – people don’t want to see people drown at sea. They do not. They want to make sure that our borders are safe, our national security is what it should be – it always is under a Liberal Nationals Government. It won’t be under Labor.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
Your climate change policy that the Coalition Government have announced is also I guess acknowledgement that you were not going to meet the Paris target without some changes. So when Scott Morrison previously said they would be met in a canter, quote, was he misleading people?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
No, not at all. Certainly I know (inaudible) and said that we were going to meet them and I still believe we will meet them. We will. The Prime Minister is up in the Snowy Mountains today to announce and turn the first sod of Snowy Hydro 2.0. That’s an important renewable energy source – 2,000 megawatts, 175 hours of storage, jobs, but most importantly power for half a million homes and small businesses in NSW and other states. They’re the important things. We’re getting on with the job of making sure that we have the right climate action policies in place, but at the same time not de-industrialising Australia, certainly not de-industrialising regional Australia.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
Last thing: This is an issue that is very important to people who live and use the north-east rail line. Do you have an updated timeframe on it?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
It’s going to happen as soon as practical. I have been working (interrupted) start of this year and making sure that we work through it. We have put $235 million on the table. It’s really important. I am working with the Victorian Government and they are the ones, when we do these rail upgrades, that I know want to get their VLocity trains on the tracks, too; when we do these sorts of things they are big projects. I know the Victorian Government and the Commonwealth are working hand in hand, just like we are with Inland Rail.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
It’s taken so long and as you can see from that that…
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
It’ll be worth the wait. It’ll be worth the wait.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
…just need some clear targets I think…
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Sure.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
…so people have certainty, so that people who are looking to expand businesses or are moving to the area…
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well I understand that, and it’s been a long time coming, but it will be a short time now; we will get it done; we’ll get it happening. We’ll get it started.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
And set a date…
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Soon.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
And would you support a royal commission into the Murray Darling Basin (inaudible)?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
The Murray Darling Association is doing a great job. The Murray Darling Basin Plan – we need to make the Plan work. It has a bipartisan agreement. Let’s not worry about what the South Australia royal commission said – it was a state-based and state-biased …
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
Why wouldn’t we worry about it?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Let’s work through this – it is a bipartisan arrangement. David Littleproud has got Professor Rob Vertessy undertaking a Murray Darling Basin review at the moment and he is certainly looking at the Menindee Lakes situation. Let’s have that review, let’s see what the recommendations of that review are. It’s important we do that.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
…more work to be done?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
If there is, and if there’s a giant clamour for a royal commission and the States are calling for it, everybody’s calling for it, let’s review that.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
Because we know from the banking royal commission sometimes politicians are reluctant…
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
…royal commissions at the moment….disability sector; you can’t have royal commissions about everything every time, so let’s work through those, let’s see what Rob Vertessy’s review comes up with and let’s work through that process.
BRONWEN O’SHEA:
Michael McCormack, thank you so much; you have been very generous with your time this morning. Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of The Nationals. You’re on ABC Goulburn Murray.