TRANSCRIPT: INTERVIEW ON THE TODAY SHOW, 10 December 2020
8:11AM
E&OE
Subjects: Australia’s Terror Threat, Coronavirus, $398 million for the Safer Roads Program;
TOM STEINFORT
We will get more on this now with our Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, who joins us from Canberra. Michael, hello to you. Just take us through how much of a threat this teenager was believed to be?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, look, he is going to appear in court today and so let's let him have his day in court. Let's see where that due legal process takes us. Of course, any extremism, left wing, right wing, we don't want to see it in this country. We are a free and democratic-loving country and we need to stay that way. So I'm glad that the authorities have certainly swooped here, but let's let him have his day in court.
ALLISON LANGDON
It seems like they have acted quickly here. Michael, just this week we were warned of an increase terror threat over Christmas. Can you just explain how much of a concern that is and was that linked in any way to this arrest we saw yesterday?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, I will say it again. We will let the legal process play out. But, of course, we have always got those surveillance systems in place and, of course, anybody who is doing the wrong thing, they can expect the full force of the law to come down on them. I pay credit to our Police, our ASIO, those people who certainly make sure that the safety of Australians is top priority. And we have been fortunate in this country to ensure that we have kept Australia relatively peaceful and relatively free of this sort of thing but we will continue to, of course, monitor it and as a government we will continue to fund it properly the way we should.
ALLISON LANGDON
So you can't tell us why there is an increased terror threat over Christmas?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, I will leave that up to the authorities. But, of course, with Christmas, with more people travelling, with more people being reunited with their families, those who seek to bring these sorts of terrorist acts against our nation, they are always more active at those times of year when more Australians are gathering in numbers, more Australians are getting reunited because they don't like the way we live. They don't like the way we live. They don't like the peaceful way in which we carry out our lives and it has been a very challenging and difficult year and those people who seek to do harm, they always seek ruin things when they should be at their most enjoyable. Of course, Christmas is a wonderful time of year. Of course, we are looking forward to having a good Christmas because it has been so challenging this year for so many Australians and for the first time, in many families they will be reunited like I say, probably since last Christmas.
TOM STEINFORT
Let's move on to the coronavirus vaccine. We have seen the roll out begin in the UK, thankfully. But overnight we have learnt two frontline workers there have suffered allergic reactions to the Pfizer vaccine. Do you think that is going to impact the timeline for the roll out here?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, as I understand it, those two workers also had ongoing allergic problems. But look, we will make sure that we do the right thing by Australians. We will make it freely available but, of course, we will monitor the situation in the UK. I appreciate that Canada has also come on board and said that it will also look at the Pfizer vaccine. We have got every faith in our health authorities who have helped us through this situation in Australia. Look at what we have done as a nation and I say a big debt of gratitude is owed to each and every Australian because what we have seen in Australia is an exemplary reaction to making sure that we have kept our country as best as we can. You know, good in the face of what has been a global pandemic. We have kept those case rates low, we have kept our deaths to 908, it’s very, very sad for those families who won't be with their loved one this Christmas but compared to other nations in the world we have done very, very well. I commend Greg Hunt, the Minister, but more importantly each and every Australian for what they have done to get us through this deadly situation.
ALLISON LANGDON
Absolutely, but surely it must be a concern to you that the trial didn't pick this up?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Of course, I'm sure that the UK authorities too, are doing their best to manage the roll-out of the vaccine. So we will make sure that when it is available in Australia, that when we are vaccinating Australians against COVID-19 that it is done with the best possible medical advice as we have done all the way through.
ALLISON LANGDON
It must make it a bit more difficult though, to get more people across the line when you are trying convince them to take this vaccine.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, if it is going to help and protect Australians and it is going to help and protect Australians to ensure that they don't get COVID-19, then it is better than the alternative and the alternative as we have seen right around the world, in the case of the US the other day, two people were dying every minute. We don't want to see that in Australia. We want to see that in Australia, we want to make sure that we continue to be our best selves, we continue to socially distance, we continue to socially distance, we continue to follow the advice of the medical experts. We have done that all the way through and that's why we have remained the test case, the exemplar for this right throughout the world.
TOM STEINFORT
Well, finally, before we let you go, obviously the economic recovery is all-important in the wake of this pandemic. There is a new initiative now trying to give the economy a bit of a boost particularly in Regional NSW. What can you tell us about that?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, with this roads program, $398 million, yes, it is a big number but more importantly, it is actually going to save 590 lives potentially and create 950 jobs. So, 590 lives saved, 950 jobs created. Whether it is the New England, the Newell, whatever road or highway it is, we have certainly worked through the New South Wales Government. They have identified and prioritised these roads. We are rolling this right out across the nation. Particularly at this time of year, road safety is so important. So I say to those people watching, this Christmas make sure you get home to your loved ones. Don't use your mobile phones. Don't speed. Drive to the conditions. Pull the seatbelt on. Do everything that you should and would normally do behind the wheel of a car. Make sure you get home but get home in one piece. Think of other road users and do the right thing. We can build safer roads, we have got safer cars but it is up to the drivers and it is up to the passengers in those cars to remind the drivers if they are doing the wrong thing to make sure that they follow the rules.
ALLISON LANGDON
Yes, be sensible behind the wheel. Look, Minister, it is the last day of parliament there. You have got a war brewing with China. They have slapped more tariffs on our goods. Unions and Labor are having a fight over IR reforms. It is not going to be a dull day. Strap yourself in. Thank you for your time this morning.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
I probably need one of Amanda's coffee cups full of caffeine. Anyway, we will get through it on behalf of Australians.
ALLISON LANGDON
It would certainly help, thank you.
TOM STEINFORT
You’ll be filling it with something else tonight.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Thanks so much.
ENDS 8:18AM