TRANSCRIPT: PORT MACQUARIE BICENTENNIAL WALKWAY FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT, 18 November 2020

10:42AM

E&OE

WITH: MR PAT CONAGHAN MP, MEMBER FOR COWPER & COUNCILLOR PETA PINSON, MAYOR OF PORT MACQUARIE-HASTINGS COUNCIL.

Subjects: Port Macquarie Bicentennial Walkway, the Udawatta family, Port Macquarie Tidal Pool, Coronavirus, Border Closures;

PAT CONAGHAN

Welcome here everybody. This morning I would like to welcome the Acting Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, and thank him for coming to our beautiful town of Port Macquarie. I would also like to acknowledge the Mayor, Peta Pinson, and the committee members of the Town Green Management Committee.

So very happy to be here today, we have a great announcement on top of the $1.5 million which has provided this beautiful landscaping and footpath behind us, but today we're announcing through the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund a further $3,050,000 for the completion of the foreshore walk around to Kooloonbung Creek. And this has been eight years in the making. Eight years in the planning. And again, I would like to thank the Town Green Management Committee for their hard work. They've worked tirelessly to provide this fantastic facility – all these facilities. What it used to be, but now it's a tourist attraction. It is beautiful. There is no better place in Australia than the foreshore of Port Macquarie. And I would like to thank the Acting Prime Minister for securing these funds. And I would also like to acknowledge Leslie Williams, our State Member, for the hard work that she's done. But it's going to be fantastic. It will be finished in 12 months and it will provide that service to the community. A great tourist attraction, great for the locals. And, again, great to be here.

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Thank you, Patrick and well done on your advocacy for this project. As Pat says, Port Macquarie is a beautiful place and anybody who has ever holidayed here would know that. Acknowledge the Mayor too, Peta Pinson and her work in securing this funding and Leslie Williams, of course, too. But when bushfires happen and when natural disasters strike, they take such a toll on local communities. And to build back better is something that local communities and certainly the Federal Government is very, very aware of and very conscious of, as we battle the recovery from bushfires and drought and flooding in some areas but also COVID-19.

We want to see jobs on the ground because when we build these regional communities, we build community capacity and no-one knows that better, no-one understands that better than Pat Conaghan because he's in Canberra all the time, fighting for local jobs, fighting for local delivery, fighting for local outcomes and he has achieved this through the bushfire Recovery Fund, through that Economic Recovery Fund which is going to provide such a stimulus for Port Macquarie, working with the local council, working with the fantastic Town Green Committee, working with local stakeholders and perhaps most importantly too, builders and construction companies which will take part in this – create jobs, create input and create economic stimulus. It's going to benefit all the small businesses right along here. We've just had a coffee at the local coffee shop. They are going to benefit from this. And you see how many people are walking up and down here, exercising, just looking out on to the beautiful water. The foreshores here are a magnificent place and they're going to be even better with this development, with this project. I might ask Peta to make some remarks and then we're happy to take questions.

PETA PINSON

Thank you, Acting Prime Minister and welcome to our fine city. You've picked a perfect day to come. We always welcome your visits here because you always come with a cheque book, which is just wonderful for our fine region. Thank you so much, Pat. Your advocacy for this project is second to none. The people of the Port Macquarie region that you represent can be assured that what you say is what you deliver. So I personally thank you for that. This is just a fantastic investment and an investment in an experience not just for our local community but for those who actually come here to experience the lifestyle we all live in. Nothing is finer than our foreshore. We have a State Government investment happening with the wharf, just a little further down and you see behind us, we're close to completion, just in time for Christmas for people to enjoy. I would also like to thank the Council staff, the hours that they have put in to ensure that we are ready to receive this funding. We can't discount the fact that we need to have our designs ready in order to spend the money that's been given to us. I congratulate the Town Centre Master Plan Sub-Committee of Council, chaired by Councillor Geoff Hawkins. They have tirelessly worked on this project and to see it actually being delivered after eight years is something really special. So, again, thank you for your connection to our Port Macquarie-Hastings region and for your money as well.

JOURNALIST

Yes, just from the ABC, Deputy Prime Minister. Do you agree with Pat Conaghan that a family facing deportation – you might be aware of the Udawatta family in Kempsey? Do you agree with allowing them to stay and will you make that possible?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, we're making sure that people that are in this situation, that we're doing everything we can through the right channels, of course, to make sure that permanent residency can be made available. But we've always said that people need to come to Australia in the right fashion. We have a record second-to-none when it comes to being generous with our borders, second-to-none with the provisions that we open our arms to people who want to come from overseas. But if people came here on a boat, if people came here in that situation, we've always said they need to come through the right way. Now, I understand these are very difficult and compassionate cases and we're doing everything that we can, working with the authorities, working with the families, working with the individuals concerned. I understand this particular situation is harrowing, is absolutely harrowing and the Government will do everything it can to make sure we get the right outcome.

JOURNALIST

So should the Immigration Minister intervene on this case on compassionate grounds?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, the Immigration Minister is always – on compassionate grounds – looks at every individual case. I've got a particular case in my own electorate at the moment which I'm fighting hard to achieve the right outcome. But they're all very different. They are all they bespoke cases. They all have different, harrowing individual cases. And I understand Pat's been, as you would expect he would as a good local member, has been very forthright on this. And that's what you would expect from somebody who does have caring, understanding, compassionate grounds upon which to lobby the Minister and the Minister will always, as we always do, make the right decision.

JOURNALIST

So how soon before a decision will be made?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, that will be up to the Immigration Minister himself and you know, across his desk every day there's these sorts of cases and many more besides. And he does a very good job in looking through these, going down into the detail. It's not just always cut and dried, every one of these cases, they're all different, they're all harrowing and he will certainly make the right decision.

JOURNALIST

It's very distressing for the family –

MICHAEL McCORMACK

I appreciate that. I appreciate that.

JOURNALIST

And now the Kempsey community are very willing to embrace them. And so, yes, I'm just wondering, are you able to do anything, or the Prime Minister, in this matter?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

I understand that, no – that's up to the Immigration Minister and you know. I don't overrule people on these sorts of things. It's up to him to make the decision and that's understandable, that's his portfolio area.

JOURNALIST

When is it expected to start?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, very soon. You just heard Pat say it's going to take 12 months. So I would imagine, with the right planning, the right designs being done by Council that work will start very soon. We will see people on site.

JOURNALIST

How many jobs is it going to create?

PETA PINSON

I don't have a specific figure but it's going to ensure that the jobs at Council are retained and we will have Council workers, contractors. It's going to be a hive of activity along here, as much as it is behind us here. And also the jobs that have been created through the State Government's investment too. So it's a great news story for the foreshore of Port Macquarie.

JOURNALIST

Are the designs ready to go?

PETA PINSON

Yes, they are.

JOURNALIST

Yes. And Pat, this is probably a question for you. You travel around the electorate. It's been an incredibly difficult 12 months for local business. Some of them might not make it through Christmas because of the economic strain. What's some of the feedback that you've been getting from local business about just how hard it's been and what they need to make it through?

PAT CONAGHAN

Well, actually, it's quite the opposite. What I'm hearing from businesses is that business is booming. People have come back really quickly. They're doing really well. In fact, one of the local restaurateurs said to me, "I'm worried about Christmas. I'm worried about how we're going to cope, I'm worried about how we're going to provide the services because we're already booked out." So up and down the coast I'm hearing all those kinds of stories. The Federal Government has provided $69 million in either relief packages or grants over the past 12 months for Cowper alone and that's supported businesses. That supported keeping jobs. So we're doing well and I know that this Christmas will be a boon time not only for tourism but for hospitality. And we have done so well as a community through COVID. We've come through the bushfires and I know this is going to be a bumper summer.

JOURNALIST

Would you encourage businesses to look forward and create more full-time, long-term jobs for people as opposed to a casualised workforce over the holidays?

PETA PINSON

Well, I undertook a really comprehensive survey through 404 businesses during COVID and what they recognise is that we've got to support local and that's what's happening, supporting local, developing local manufacturing. So that's what's actually happening on the ground right now and we're doing that through the Federal Government's funding, the manufacturing funding. It will be a boon time. There'll be more long-term jobs. Perhaps COVID was a resetting of the local economy and local jobs and we now realise the biggest message that I got from this survey, the biggest message was: buy local, support local.

JOURNALIST

And just, I suppose, Peta Pinson or Mr McCormack, just re. the tidal pool update, where are we up to with that? Mr McCormack was here not long ago announcing this exciting new tidal pool. So where is that at?

PETA PINSON

Thank you for asking. The tidal pool, what a fabulous project. A real spinner for tourism too, when it's completed. At the moment, we have plans. They're concept plans and might I say I've seen these plans and they are quite extraordinary. They're very harmonious with the landscape. They also address people with disabilities and sight disabilities as well. So it's an exciting time. There's still a lot of work to be done with that. We've been assured of funding, again through Pat Conaghan and also the Acting Prime Minister when he was visiting here too. And this is certainly going to enable us to secure the vision of the people of the Port Macquarie-Hastings region as far as enjoying the benefits of a tidal pool.

JOURNALIST

How far off would a tidal pool be, then, if it were to happen?

PAT CONAGHAN

So, I had an update recently from Kathryn Butler, who is running the Tidal Pool Committee. We're having a meeting next week with the local council, the Birpai Land Council, obviously state and federal and local government, just to get an update on where we are. But it is proceeding to plan. And we expect that those approvals will be happening hopefully in the next six months so we can get shovels in the ground and water in the pool.

JOURNALIST

So the feasibility of the pool is possible in that location where you've announced?

PAT CONAGHAN

I expect that's the information we'll receive at the next briefing, but more than happy to get in contact with you and let you know as soon as we've had that meeting.

JOURNALIST

And just a reaction from you, Pat, on the Budget yesterday from the State Government. I mean, we've got a critical housing shortage in many districts, especially in Coffs Harbour, I suppose. Do you think the changes to stamp duty that's being proposed, or any of the other changes or measures that were announced yesterday, go far enough to assisting these communities in regional areas in providing some relief?

PAT CONAGHAN

Yes, look, that is a real issue, the social housing and housing availability of land itself, particularly in the northern end of the electorate up at Coffs Harbour. We're having a meeting, myself and Melinda Pavey, Gurmesh Singh, next Monday with the local council to look at those issues to address those issues. We're going to have a significant problem over the next five years considering we're going to have a bypass, we're going to have an additional 12,000 jobs, potentially 12,000 families and we need to address where they're going to go. So, yes, it is an issue, but we're going to address that particularly with Gurmesh Singh and Melinda Pavey.

JOURNALIST

And your reaction to the state budget and what they've implemented, are you satisfied?

PAT CONAGHAN

Look, it's a good Budget and we're all working together – Federal Government, Local Government, State Government – we're working together to provide the services that my electorate needs.

JOURNALIST

And just on NewStart, I know you've been pushing for a rise in the Newstart thing, is there any development there? I know JobSeeker is continuing on, but are you still lobbying for that movement by the Federal Government to increase it?

PAT CONAGHAN

Yeah, of course I am and I was very pleased to see that the Federal Government has been very fluid with not only JobSeeker and JobKeeper. We're moving along with the times and adjusting and tapering as needed. But, yes, I will always advocate for a rise in NewStart from the original position of $280 a week. Where JobSeeker is sitting now is in line with the New South Wales Council of Social Services' push for a raise for $75 to $95 a week. So, you know, I'm content with that but of course, we've got to provide jobs. There has to be jobs out there for people to apply for and if there's not, we have to provide that safety net.

JOURNALIST

And just finally, just re the Deputy Prime Minister's response to the Udawatta family that you've been lobbying to be able to stay in Australia, are you disappointed or satisfied with the Government? Are they moving fast enough? Would you like to see them just make a decision sooner rather than later?

PAT CONAGHAN

Well, look, there's certain processes that must be checked off and as a former immigration lawyer, you know, you need to go through the AAT, you need to go through those appeals and exhaust all measures before there can be ministerial intervention. They're the rules. They're there for a reason. Now, the Udawatta family, it's a very tragic case. It's a situation where they were doing all the right things. They were here on a 457 visa and Raj passed away from cancer. We're a compassionate nation, we really are. And I've already spoken to the Minister, Minister Tudge and I've also spoken to Minister Dutton, although it's not his portfolio and Minister Tudge was very sympathetic to the situation. I know that eventually we will get to a situation where I will need ministerial intervention and I will certainly be pushing extremely hard for that.

JOURNALIST

And back to the Deputy Prime Minister, thank you. Just re the Budget yesterday, the State Budget, do you think - just your response to it. Has it done enough to address you know, the COVID situation, the bushfire situation – 

MICHAEL McCORMACK

The good thing about a Liberal-National State Government is that they won't tax its way to recovery. They won't tax the people, businesses and individuals to recovery. What they'll do is they'll provide the stimulus that we do as a Federal Government – the stamp duty provisions, the money that's been made available through regional development is very welcome. And I know that they are all about, like we are, creating jobs, creating opportunities. And, of course, you mentioned before about social housing, that is the responsibility of State Governments and they're addressing that. There are some big things at hand at the moment for governments right across the nation. And whether that's local government, 537 councils throughout Australia, they're all receiving money under the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Federal Government Stimulus that we have provided. And we had a $500 million allocation mid-year, topped it up by another billion dollars for those 537 councils to distribute during the October 6 Budget. And, of course, there's $2 billion to be spent on road safety upgrades and that is also going to benefit local roads and state roads throughout this shire and beyond, on the Mid North Coast. So that is very, very welcome. And, indeed, that creates jobs. That creates opportunities. And it's so important – and Pat knows as the Chair of the Road Safety Committee in Parliament – he knows how important that road safety spending is but also the fact that particularly important, with this week being National Road Safety Week. And Pat has spent his life as a police officer, as a lawyer and now as a politician, as a parliamentarian, doing his bit to help save lives and make sure that driver behaviour is what it should be.

[Crowd Cheers]

And hear those people getting off the boat, cheering about the foreshore? You can hear the cheers. They know and they've only just realised that we're upgrading the foreshore. So that's going to create jobs and that's going to create opportunities for visitors, just like those, to come here, to enjoy the wonderful Port Macquarie ambience and atmosphere. What better place to be than right here at Port Macquarie.

[Applause]

The only time I've ever got a standing ovation at a press conference.

JOURNALIST

And just a question, how is the Federal Government assisting local councils who are awash with economic stimulus money in terms of being able to deliver those projects, that infrastructure?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, we work hand-in-hand with them, hand-in-glove with them. I know you've seen the relationship here, the strong relationship, between the Federal Member, Pat Conaghan, and the local Mayor, Peta Pinson, discussing ways and means of how we actually get people on the ground to do these things, to get the right planning, to get the right design, to get the right environmental and all those other necessary tick-offs done and then to get people working. There are 45,600 jobs identified by the Regional Australia Institute in country areas, in coastal areas, in rural and regional Australia, right now. And so that's why we want those people to be getting skilled and that's why we're spending an inordinate amount of money on skilling people, on apprentices, on getting people job-ready through the tertiary system, through what Dan Tehan and Andrew Gee are doing as far as funding tertiary education so that the graduates are job-ready. Pat Conaghan works very, very closely with his local government areas all the time and with those people, such as Geoff Hawkins here. Pat has just identified the tidal pool. He's going to a meeting next week. He's talking to the Birpai people. He's talking to the local builders. He's talking to the local council. That's what a good federal member does. And if we had more Pat Conaghans in Parliament, it would be a much better Parliament, let me tell you. In fact, if we had 151 of him, what a great Parliament it would be because he's out there talking to local people, identifying areas of need and then delivering outcomes, delivering infrastructure.

JOURNALIST

Can we expect more federal money for the tidal pool project?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, we've got the sufficient money that is going to be required to actually build it and I know that the local management committee is delighted at that. And if they come and say, well, we need this, that and other for infrastructure around it to even enhance the area, well, we'll look at that in time. But we've got the right amount of money. We've got the right project. It's in the right place and we've got the right people organising it.

JOURNALIST

Thank you very much. Just re the borders, National Cabinet meeting – just what would you like to see happen in the lead-up to Christmas with the borders?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, I'd like to see people not be complacent because yes, we have had an outbreak in South Australia. I've spoken to the Premier, Stephen Marshall. Twenty cases. They've been very quick, responded in a robust way with a good public health system, as you would expect a good government would do, a good state government would do. They are responsible for those health outcomes for their people and they've done it very well. The local tracking and tracing has been as it should be. And so they've tested thousands upon thousands of people in Adelaide, particularly in the northern suburbs, to make sure that they isolate this outbreak.

We will get outbreaks. I mean, we've had a case in New South Wales. We've got 11 days now in a row of no cases. So that's a fantastic situation. In America, last Wednesday in the United States of America, 200,000 cases on the day when the world suffered its greatest mortality rate since COVID began and that is very, very sad. Very, very sad. Nearly a million and a half people dead from COVID-19. Australia, 907. We've done very well as a nation and I say thank you to Australians for being their best selves during COVID-19, for doing all the things that they need to do, download the app, maintain social distancing, washing their hands regularly, going and getting tested if they've got a raspy cough or sneezing or flu-like symptoms. And that's what Australians need to continue to do. We will get a vaccine. Australia has spent a lot of money. The Commonwealth Government investing in four vaccines at the moment and if better vaccines come along, we'll have discussions with those two because we want to make sure that when the vaccine becomes available that it is available not just for all Australians but for all those in the Pacific Islands too because we're great friends of the Pacific Islands. We want our neighbourhood and our region to be its best self through COVID-19. We've done that so far. I say to people don't panic.

I'm glad that Gladys Berejiklian, the Premier of New South Wales, has made an eminently sensible decision not to close the borders to South Australia at the moment. She said, "Reconsider your travel plans if you were going to South Australia" and I'm sure Premier Marshall would do the same to South Australians who are needing to travel. So it's a situation that, as I understand, is in hand. We'll monitor it. We'll continue to monitor it. The Australian Government has provided 104 ADF personnel who are working very closely with state officials in South Australia. That's what you would expect us to do. There's no question that if we're asked to provide more ADF assistance, then we will and I've made that quite clear in every interview this morning, every interview yesterday. We're there, ready to help any state government to provide the necessary ADF personnel and any other assistance that's required. Thank you very much.

Shane Manning