Transcript: Doorstop, Forbes, Bridges Renewal, 12 April 2019
WITH: Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack & Deputy Mayor of Forbes Shire Council Jenny Webb
E&OE
Subjects: Bridges Renewal Program, election
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Great to be in Forbes with the Deputy Mayor, Jenny Webb. Unfortunately the Mayor, Phyllis Miller is actually in Sydney at the New South Wales Local Government Conference and talking all things Forbes, as Phyllis always does, but great to have Jenny Webb with me to announce that the Federal Government, under the Bridges Renewal Program, is funding the bridge at Seven Sisters, across Goobang Creek to the tune of $550,000. $550,000, it's a $1.1 million build. What we're going to be doing is be replacing the wooden structure there which has been closed for the past four months. The pylons are moving away, the bridge is quite dangerous at the moment. It only had a tonnage limit of 24 tonnes. The new bridge, the new structure will actually double that freight capacity. It will also be wider, so it will be a wider, heavier bridge. It will enable those heavy trucks, those farmers to be able to cart their goods across the bridge in a far more efficient manner. This is going to increase productivity, it's going to increase safety, it's a good project.
We're getting on with building the bridges, the roads, the rail, right across this nation as part of our $100 billion infrastructure, a record amount of money across the nation. Our infrastructure program made possible through the fact that we've got a good economy. When you've got a strong economy, you can build more bridges. When you've got a strong economy, you can build better roads. And that's why I know that the Forbes Council, along with the other 11 councils that I represent, were very pleased that they got a 25% increase in funding as part of the Roads to Recovery. Now, that only happens because you've got Nationals in Government.
That particular program started many, many years ago with John Anderson when he was the leader. And we've continued it. We've made sure that regional funding is there. This particular bridge across Goobang Creek, as I say, has been closed for the past four months. There's a bypass there, a dirt bypass which, if it rains, and goodness knows we hope it does soon.
The fact is that will then will also be closed. So that'll cut farmers off, that'll cut people off from using this particular road, which is about 60 kilometres west of Forbes. It's good funding, it's worthwhile funding, it's the sort of funding that the farmers of the district need, want, expect, deserve, and they've demanded it. And now they're getting it under the Bridges Renewal program, delighted that the Federal Government is kicking the can for $550,000. I know Forbes Shire Council is providing the other $550,000. This is a good investment. It's a good investment in regional productivity, a good investment in the farmers in the district, and with that, I'll get Jenny Webb to make a few comments, as well.
JENNY WEBB:
Thank you. It's wonderful to have the honourable Michael McCormack delivering us this wonderful news. Look, the bridge is … I cross it quite regularly, and there is issues with the bridge, especially with the weight and the width. It quite often stops farmers, especially in times of flooding with the detour. This is news that is most welcome to us all.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Good. Any questions?
JOURNALIST:
And how far is that detour around, if that area is closed? How far is the detour?
JENNY WEBB:
No, the detour is right there. It just goes down into the riverbank, actually. So when it rains or floods or there's any water, you can't take the detour at all.
JOURNALIST:
Okay. And then how far is that trip around?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
So if you can't use the detour either, how far would the trip around be?
JENNY WEBB:
Oh, right. It would be going all the way through Bedgerabong, down [inaudible] Road, down Yarrabandai Road so I'm guessing about 50 kilometres.
JOURNALIST:
Wow.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
So there's a lot of inconvenience when the road floods so this is important. And I know that right across the region, when you have these sorts of wooden structures, they're past their use-by date and that's why the Bridges Renewal Program is so valuable. And that's why funding under that program is so heavily sought. We're getting on with the job of building the infrastructure that the regions need, and Forbes has done very well out of the Federal Liberal Nationals Government. Of course we've got the main street upgrade, $867,000 there, and of course we've got the sale yards. They were a beneficiary of the Building Better Regions Fund, one of the previous grants funding around that particular program. We're looking after Forbes because Forbes is one of those communities which is looking after Australia. It punches well above its weight when it comes to economic output. It's one of the real drivers of the Central West economy, and I'm proud to represent this area. Fantastic community, fantastic town, fantastic people, Jenny.
JENNY WEBB:
It is. It is. I believe our Roads to Recovery was 1.2 million.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Yes, excellent.
JOURNALIST:
If it's been in need of repair, why is it only now that you're announcing that funding?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, it's only just come to our attention and of course, the fact is the funding was sought when the bridge was closed. It's taken us four months to actually have a look at the bridge to see if it was still fit for purpose. We were informed that it wasn't and informed that it needed replacing. These sorts of things take some time to get through the Infrastructure Department, but we've looked at it, we've assessed the fact that the bridge needs replacing, and we're getting on with the job of doing just that.
JOURNALIST:
And when are we likely to see that happening at this construction?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, we're holding a shovel with Jenny Webb, who lives nearby, and Phyllis Miller, very soon, and getting on with the job. Of course, the final design work will need to be done, but we'll need to get on with that very soon. Winter is almost upon us and we don't want to have the inconvenience for farmers of having that bridge closed. Of course, it's going to take some build time, but that also means local construction jobs. That also means that local people will be able to apply for the tender to do that construction. It's a good announcement, it's a good project. It's needed, it's timely, and it's now going to happen.
JENNY WEBB:
In answer to your question, by the end of the year.
JOURNALIST:
By the end of the year. Okay, great.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
There you go. The simple way of saying it.
JOURNALIST:
Fantastic. Turning to the Federal Election as well, with the performance, turning to the performance of the Shooters and Fishers and Farmers Party during the State Election, how do you feel about the potential threat of that party to seats held by National candidates in the Federal Election?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, I've been told that the Shooters aren’t actually going to fill candidates in New South Wales. But that's a matter entirely for the Shooters. That's entirely a matter for then the voters as to who they support. Do they want delivery? Do they want delivery as far as infrastructure and projects and better roads and better rails? Do they want people who actually sit around the table where these sorts of decisions are made? I sit there in the Expenditure Review Committee and make the decisions for and on behalf of regional Australia. I'm the only National Party member who actually sits on that committee. I sit in Cabinet where the big decisions are taken on behalf of the nation. So I'm in there, making sure that communities such as Forbes get well looked after when it comes to infrastructure, when it comes to sale yards upgrades, when it comes to central business district overhauls.
I'm in there, making sure that Forbes gets its fair share. The fact is, that's what National Party people do. That's what National Party people have done for the past 100 years, and they'll go on doing it for the next 100 years. And they can have the naysayers, people can rubbish us all they like, but we keep delivering. We keep turning up and we keep delivering. And when you've got a government like the Liberals and Nationals in there fighting hard for regional Australia, when you've got a budget that is lowering taxes, that is making sure national security and making sure that we get on with the job of growing the economy, why would you choose anything else other than The Nationals in Government?
JOURNALIST:
The ABC understands that the Shooters and Fishers and Farmers Party will announce a candidate for the seat of Calare. Do you think that there will be any threat to Andrew Gee’s seat?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Oh, that's a matter entirely for the Shooters. If the Shooters want to drop back to the ABC, well good luck to the Shooters. It's called democracy. We've got an election. It's happening on May 18. That's just 35 days away. The Shooters want to put up candidates? Well, good luck to them. That's entirely a matter for them and we'll take on whoever puts their name on the ballot paper and we'll stand by our proud track record every time. Andrew Gee has done an outstanding job and you only have to look at the sort of delivery that he's done. I only need to look at one particular thing, the rural medical schools. He fought hard for it, he advocated for it. We need more doctors in country areas. Andrew Gee delivered.
JOURNALIST:
With the leadership spills that happened at the top with Scott Morrison now as the Prime Minister, do you feel that the electorates will have that as front of mind when they go to the polls on May 18th?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, Scott Morrison's been doing an absolutely outstanding job since August. He did an outstanding job as Treasurer before that. I've got every faith that he's going to be one of the great Prime Ministers this nation has had in modern times. People in years to come will look at Scott Morrison and say he was right up there with John Howard. I've got every faith in his ability. And you know what, too? The very first item on the agenda when he and I sat together after he was elected the Liberal Party Leader, I was the National Party Leader, of course, at the time.
When we sat after he'd been elected the leader, before he went to Government House to be sworn in as Australia's 30th Prime Minister, he talked about the drought. He talked about the regions. He spoke about the importance of making sure that the regions had their fair share. That's the Scott Morrison I know, that's the Scott Morrison I respect, and that's the Scott Morrison that's going to make one of the great Prime Ministers this nation has seen in recent times and indeed, he's there for the regions. He's not just a Prime Minister for the metropolitan areas, he's a Prime Minister for the regions, and I respect that.
JOURNALIST:
With only five weeks to go to the election, what are the main policies that you'll be bringing forward to your electorates? What are the main policies that you need to bring through?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, three of the most important things for the Riverina and Central West are going to be jobs, jobs, and jobs. I'll be in there fighting hard for them, I'll be in there fighting hard for small business, I'll be in there fighting hard to make sure that people know whether they're running a small business, whether they're indeed working for one, or whether they're just working full stop. The fact is, they're going to be paying lower taxes under a Liberal Nationals re-election of government. The fact is they're going to ensure that we've got border protection. Under Labor, well, we saw 55,000 people arrive in 800 or so boats. Labor opened 19 detention centres. Well, we've closed all those, we've stopped that $16 billion blowout as far as border protection is concerned, and we're spending that in regional areas.
And I want to make sure that as the Minister for Transport, for Infrastructure, and perhaps most importantly for Regional Development, that I get on and continue the job that I've been doing, rolling out the $100 billion record infrastructure spend. Now, Forbes has been the beneficiary of this today with a new bridge, with a main street upgrade, sale yards is in progress and doing wonders for the Central West livestock industry. That's the sort of delivery I bring. That's the sort of delivery that I bring at a local level, but also at a national level. And The Nationals will be in there fighting hard, striving for our communities, making sure that they get the delivery that Australians want and expect and deserve.