TRANSCRIPT: INTERVIEW ON ABC NSW COUNTRY HOUR, 9 April 2020

E&OE

Subjects: Coronavirus;

MICHAEL CONDON:

The Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack joins me now to discuss the JobKeeper and JobSeeker arrangements and how they will benefit regional Australia. Michael, these are extraordinary times.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures and yes, you are correct. It is a package very much for rural and regional, coastal and country and remote Australia and certainly for farmers who have never been relied upon more than right now, Michael. They grow enough food to feed 75 million people. That's three times Australia's population and they and the truckies who deliver the cleanest, greenest, freshest food domestically – they've never been busier either.

MICHAEL CONDON:

Now in terms of the assistance – in terms of the JobSeeker package, does that mean that sole traders and partnerships that have seen that big reduction of 30%, they’ll be eligible for that so maybe farmers, some dairy farmers will be eligible for that?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Absolutely and I would encourage all of those people you just mentioned, dairy farmers, farmers in general, sole traders, people who have got their partnerships, their businesses set up and structured in any which way, apply on the Australian Taxation Office website and even if they've had, yes, you know, they've relied on a 30% downturn in business but there will be discretion given because of course, 12 months ago, some farmers, in fact most farmers, if not all farmers, were enduring the worst drought that we've seen in living memory, some, of course, down in south Victoria were having some reasonably good times but in the main, our farmers were struggling. Of course, if you base a 30% downturn on your worst-ever efforts, well, that of course, is not just going to add up to the necessary exemption.

But the ATO will use discretionary measures. I've spoken at length with the Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, when this was first noticed or realised, very early in the drafting of the legislation for the JobKeeper package. I spoke to the Treasurer, he said it was an anomaly then but we fixed it right there and then. We fixed it overnight to ensure that, yes, they would be eligible.

MICHAEL CONDON:

And a lot of farmers have said that they didn’t get a lot cash handouts during the drought and they were a little bit peeved that they were seeing people in the capital cities getting this cash and they were feeling that they weren’t eligible but now it seems that they may be.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Well, the doubling of Newstart is an increase from $550 to $1,100 a fortnight and farmers, of course, on FHA, you know, they can apply for that. There are many measures in there and what I'd also say to farmers and this sounds a little bit out there, but, you know, even the instant asset write off being extended from $30,000 to $150,000, that is an opportunity for farmers to take the incentive and the opportunity to avail themselves of that and if you look at the showers that we've had across the countryside, they've been generally widespread and very, very welcome.

Parkes had its heaviest rainfall in a day on record just the other day and I know, having spoken to the mayor Ken Keith there, and I saw Neil Westcott, another council member but a farmer as well, they are jumping for joy. You know, as Ken said, you know, he can now take ewes confidently through lambing and the lambs will fall on green grass rather than parched, dry desert-like country. So, you know, that's good. He's going to be planting oats and wheat and barley and clover and all the rest and that's going to give those farmers there in the central west and elsewhere great incentives.

MICHAEL CONDON:

But you also want to caution people from travelling, we want to keep the virus away from country areas were they don’t have the hospitals that might be able to cope with it, just stay at home.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

The message is clear Michael, stay at home this weekend and that goes for everybody. That goes for everybody, politicians, you name it, stay at home. Do the right thing. I mean they've been told. Dr Brendan Murphy, that's who we should be listening to, the Chief Medical Officer and his colleagues around the State. Stay at home. It doesn't matter who you are. No one's exempt from this. Look, it's tough, it's going to be tough not just for this Easter weekend, it's going to be tough in the weeks and dare I say months ahead. But we're buckled in now for the long haul. We've got the right measures in place.

Yes, we will continue as a Federal Government to address issues that come up and I appreciate, you know, there's regional media and other outlets who are very concerned about their future and the like, but we will still be there, working as hard as we can to make sure that we address the issues as they arise.

MICHAEL CONDON:

And we’re hearing from the horticulture sector, they’re pretty pleased with the movement in regards to the overseas worker visa.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

They are indeed and that six-month extension is going to mean the difference for them. And, so long as the backpackers, of course, and those overseas visitors on temporary visas self-isolate for 14 days and prove that they can do so, they will be given that extension. Of course, farmers should go to that Farm Hub, Jobs Hub website and make sure they look at Australians first because there are many Australians out of work. And for those Australians willing to do the work on farms, there are jobs available. But, you know, in their local area, but for those backpackers so long as they've self-isolated and done the right thing, they're going to be very welcome for the various jobs that are out there in regional Australia.

MICHAEL CONDON:

And the demand is increasing in China for our produce and also elsewhere in Asia, when are we going to see those planes take off with the cargo? You know, diary, meat, horticulture, in the hold.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Well pleasingly, I can tell you Michael that the first flight left Brisbane for Taiwan this morning filled with Tasmanian salmon. So that's the start of that $110 million international freight assistance mechanism. That is a good program. I've worked hard with the Trade Minister, Simon Birmingham, and Andrew Gee as well to tee up that. That is going to be great.

MICHAEL CONDON:

And more set up, is there more set up for dairy and meat?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Oh, absolutely. Absolutely and look there's opportunities there for other flights to carry lamb, crayfish, agricultural products will soon be despatched to other key export destinations including the Middle East.

MICHAEL CONDON:

That’s the Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack there saying that farmers are being urged now to apply for that $130 billion even if there income didn’t come down by 30% due to the drought, discretion will be used.

Shane Manning