TRANSCRIPT: ABC RIVERINA GRANDSTAND INTERVIEW, 25 April 2020

E&OE

Subjects: ANZAC Day, Riverina Sport;

WARWICK PETHYBRIDGE

Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack. Good morning.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

Good morning Warwick. Good morning Graeme.

WARWICK PETHYBRIDGE

Michael, thank you so much for giving up your time here on ANZAC Day to join us. It was kind of funny, we didn’t know that we were going to be here today and then we found out we were and I saw the article on the front of your booklet that you distribute to your electorate and the story just resonated with me, how did you find out about this?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

Well, I always knew that Ganmain had a captain coach in its long distant past who’d played in the Victorian Football League and who'd been a soldier of some renown and when I did a bit of researching and through Barry Logan and through others, I discovered it was better than just that. It was a marvellous story this fellow, Norman Le Brun, had played with four VFL clubs now there's only been a handful of players in the history of the game, who have played for that many clubs in the VFL – now the AFL – and the fact that he'd actually come to Ganmain, not only played but captain coached. Not only captain coached but actually had led the team to a premiership against – of all rivals – Coolamon at Ganmain in the world renowned South West Football League. And Graeme would well know having been around Wagga Wagga for a while that the South West League is still talked about it. It was a great competition. That was the golden era of footy around these parts.

GRAEME DUTTON 

You’re spot on Michael. In fact, during the week, when I got together with Warwick to plan for today, I had a book which Jock Currie, who you would know as well. Jock had a book on all the South West – from the beginning – right up to when it was merged with the others and Warwick turned to the page with the game you’re actually talking about.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

The South West League went from 1910 to 1982. I was actually working at the paper when the South West League ended. I can tell you it was the 15th of November 1981, there you go, how's that for a memory? I remember that because it's my wedding anniversary as well – but not quite 1981 – but it was a great competition. I remember when it ended and Ganmain actually merged with Grong Grong Matong and there were many tears around the league because, you know, there's one religion at Ganmain and that's footy. I think that they give them a Sherrin from the day they are born young boys and whilst it is a pretty traditional town, of course religion is important. Footy is the number one game in town and that’s Aussie Rules and they've got a proud record, they’ve won more premierships than perhaps any other club in the region.

WARWICK PETHYBRIDGE

Ganmain and Coolamon are still, to this day Michael, the biggest game in our area. If those two are playing in a Grand Final it’s the last one to leave town turns the lights out –

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

They can’t stand one another, absolutely. I think they don’t even sell Ganmain pies at the Coolamon footy oval because it’s Ganmain and Ganmain pies are of course, the best around. But there's only about five paddocks separating the two towns and yet there's this just this rivalry, this intense competition and so it was really great to research this story and of course being an old journalist, I love doing this research and Norman Le Brun of course, played for Ganmain and of course, the best on ground that day for the opposite team was Mervyn Priest, who is Doug Priest’s dad and of course, Mervyn has long gone to God. But Mervyn and then Norm both went and served in the Australian forces in New Guinea and of course in the Pacific theatre of war against the Japanese and you know, but for their efforts and others besides Australia could well have got invaded. I don't think people realise how close we came.

GRAEME DUTTON

Just for our listeners, the name of your publication and the game that you’re talking about.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

It was 1940, the publication is ANZAC Day in the Riverina and the Central West. So, I put this booklet out every year, I mainly do it – and Graeme, you'd appreciate this – because I get school kids to write in their stories and their poems about ANZAC and what it means to them and their families and it really is heart wrenching when you read some of these kids stories. They are so good and anybody who ever doubts the ability of our kids these days hasn't been into a public school in quite a while because these kids, you know whether they're in the public system or the independent system, they write so well Graeme and you’d remember that from your teaching days.

GRAEME DUTTON

Yes, I am so passionate about this and in all my schools when ANZAC Day came along, we ensured that the students were very, very aware. We’d get guest speakers in. And if you visit Lake Albert school – I don’t know if you’ve been there Michael – but they have a terrific set up there with all the students that had anybody that served in any conflict at all, have a picture of that person on a special wall – an ANZAC wall. It’s a great thing.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

Yes, they do, St. Mary's War Memorial School at West Wyalong has a similar sort of thing. It's great and the good thing about this too, Graeme, is that most of the kids and I had hundreds of entries this year, handwrite them. So it's not only good that they actually write it and put these things together but they hand write it and I think that's important too.

GRAEME DUTTON

You are a man after my own heart, Michael. Handwriting is very, very important.

WARWICK PETHYBRIDGE

Alright, before we let an ex-schoolteacher and ex-journalist run off with my interview, I’m here as well Michael. This was the last game that was played for four years because of World War II and right now we’re going through restrictions where communities are without sport. How important is football or netball or any sport to these local communities. When we get back to being able to play and go down and see your mates on the weekend. 

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

Well, it's going to be crucial and even for just the psychologies of communities because it's a way to get people you know, bonding. It's a way to engender community spirit and you know, never better exemplified then between Coolamon and Ganmain. Those little towns where they've been hard hit by drought, some communities in our region have been hard hit by bushfires. And, you know these things they take such a toll. They have such an impact on our communities but when they can come together over the weekend, they can forget about their troubles, forget about their woes and they can play footy. Well, at the moment, they can't even do that. And so I was pleased this week that Professor Brendan Murphy, the Chief Medical Officer, said that the relaxation on community sport was probably not that far away and I know that Group 9 Rugby League has set a date for later in July and so I'm sure the Riverina Football League and Farrer League and other competitions with the netball too, you know, when we can, they'll be resuming competition and people can get outdoors again and get together and bond together and have the canteen and have the netball, have the footy and those friendships will be, you know, renewed once more.

GRAEME DUTTON

Michael, last week we were talking about a similar thing and I quoted Nelson Mandela, when South Africa won the Rugby World Cup in 1995 and it was along the lines of, “people should never underestimate the value of sport in our communities and how it can draw people together.” 

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

Wasn't that a marvellous event? Right up there with Cathy Freeman's gold and we remember those things, we remember where we were when they happened and sport does bring about that mateship, that courage, that bravery and it's great that so many women are now playing AFL. I mean back in the day in the 1940’s South West League Grand Final, Mirth Priest and Norm Lebrun, you know, they wouldn't have realised that 80 years on, women would be out there playing the game just as hard and just as fiercely as they probably were back then.

WARWICK PETHYBRIDGE

True. Tell us Michael, where did the birth of Michael McCormack the sports tragic come from?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

Well, Dad played footy for Marrar and cricket for Marrar and I always loved sport. I probably played as many fourth grade games of cricket in Wagga as probably anyone has over the years. I had a 100 run partnership just last year with my youngest son Nick. My boys love footy, they play for Mangoplah Cookardinia United-Eastlake Goannas, everybody loves to hear that name when I talk about it on the national stage, but Georgina, Catherine and my daughter, she plays netball and so we've always loved our sport and I think it just comes from growing up in the Riverina. You love sport, you love community. And look everybody has a footy team that they follow – rugby league, AFL – and of course Wagga is that town where they play both and it has long been revered as the town where once upon a time, if you lived north of Wagga Wagga, you played rugby league and nothing else and anything South was all Aussie Rules and Wagga was where they played both, it’s a special town, a special place. And, you know, I'm sure that'll long continue. 

GRAEME DUTTON

Do you have a favourite sports person Michael?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

I've got a lot of racehorses hanging up in my study, I've got to say. Here you go though, this is a bit odd because nobody will know who I'm talking about but Thomas Hales the jockey from 1880 who won the Melbourne Cup, who won the Wagga Cup. Thomas Hales was somebody who I will one day, hopefully, write a book about but of course, I suppose in later years, Mark Taylor was always somebody I really looked up to because he and I are about the same age. I think he’s a few days older than I and I can well remember he and I were the not out batsmen in a game at Bolton Park when he made his first ever century. He made 100 and something not out for Lake Albert and on the other side, I got naught not out and that, for me, was a pretty regular score, as you may recall, Graeme.

GRAEME DUTTON

I do Michael but I won’t go into our combat on the cricket field … 

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

Yeah. All right. You're one of those bowlers who got me out. That long list of bowler’s who can claim me as a victim. Yes. It's a very long list.

GRAEME DUTTON

Yes, I did surprise you with two wides before I actually got you out and that’s what lulled you into the false sense of security. It is my claim to fame.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

Trouble is I still remember it Graeme, but you’re a good mate. And I love this show and I love the fact that we can be talking today of all days about ANZAC, the spirit of Gallipoli. What it means to all Australians and the fact that football and sport it also inspires communities it also gets communities welded together and you know, they are two great things ANZAC Day and footy and unfortunately today we won't be seeing Marrar play the Rock-Yerong Creek as they normally do. Unfortunately, today we won't be seeing Essendon and Collingwood play but we can relive those days when Norm Le Brun was running around and I'm sure at Ganmain, they’ll look at him on their honour board in the footy shed because of the book they'll now have a bit more detail on him. They’ll revere him and they'll respect him and I'm sure at Ganmain today and at future ANZAC Days they’ll remember the service and sacrifice that he and Mervyn Priest gave for our country and it's a great thing.

WARWICK PETHYBRIDGE

Well last question Michael and this is the one that’ll put you on the spot before we let you go. In the next few weeks Graeme and I are going to be celebrating some of the great premiership sides of the Riverina whether it be football, cricket, soccer, netball. Is there one that you remember even from your time as a journalist, maybe from when you were a child, that stands out to you?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

Absolutely, it’s when Wagga Tigers beat Leeton by four points 56 to 52 in the 2016 Riverina Football League. I remember that Grand Final because my youngest son Nicholas was playing in it. I’ll tell you what, when you watch your son play in a first grade Grand Final and win, it's something special. I know it took me 30 something years to play in a fourth grade Premiership. We did it with a 60 run last wicket stand thanks to Alexander my other son being there right at the end. But I think it's not about winning. Sport isn't always about winning. It's actually about participating and I know that sounds soft and trite and glib but it is and no matter what your ability is and I must admit – as Graeme will probably testify – I never had much ability but I love my sport. And I love the tradition of ANZAC Day and to think that I was able to blend the two together and also publicise a few kids’ wonderful stories it's a special thing. Today's a special day and I know everybody right across the region will be pausing in a moment of silence for those who've served and sacrificed their time and their lives in some cases. And I know Wagga Wagga is a very special town for that because it's the only inland regional centre where we've got all three arms of the defence, Kapooka, Air Force at Forest Hill, and of course a Navy base, even though we're a long, long way from the nearest drop of sea water.

WARWICK PETHYBRIDGE

Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, thank you so much for joining us on ABC Riverina Grandstand and we hope to talk to you again in the future.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK 

It’s been a pleasure, no drama. Thanks boys.

GRAEME DUTTON

Thanks Michael.

Shane Manning