TRANSCRIPT: INTERVIEW WITH THE TODAY SHOW, 15 JUNE 2020
E&OE
Subjects: Infrastructure announcement, domestic travel, Karm Gilespie, Adem Somyurek.
ALLISON LANGDON:
The Federal Government is slashing red tape and fast-tracking $72 billion worth of infrastructure projects in an attempt to build the nation out of recession. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack joins me now in Canberra. Good morning to you.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Good morning Ally.
ALLISON LANGDON:
So, what are these priority projects?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, certainly the priority projects include such things as the Marinus Link, includes such things as Snowy Hydro. The Prime Minister will outline the full list today. But importantly, also, not only is there 15 projects which we want fast-tracked, where we want to see red tape slashed, there is also $1.5 billion of new money, money that is going to be committed for road projects. $500 million of which will be for road safety and I know how important that is right across the community.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Alright, we will look forward to that announcement from the PM today.
Queensland is set to reopen its borders on July 10. WA is still refusing to budge. Does it make any sense to you that state lines remain closed?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Simply, no. So long as the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Medical Officers of the states say it is OK, then it should be ok and we have done very, very well. We are the envy of the world when it comes to making sure that the case rates are low and of course the mortality rate is, as I say, the envy of the world – 102 deaths. Of course, we offer the condolences again to those families who’ve lost loved ones but when you see what we have been able to achieve here because Australians have been their best selves, then it makes no sense to continue to hold up these restrictions. And of course the aviation sector needs these restrictions lifted for them to be able to take to the skies again and people of course do need to download that CovidSafe app if they haven't already done so, Ally.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Alright, well, the Australian man Karm Gilespie, who is sentenced to death in China – is there any connection between that sentence and our ongoing dispute with China?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
We are providing all the assistance that Mr Gilespie will need, of course, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and I know the Foreign Affairs Minister, Marise Payne is, as we all are in Government, very concerned about this case and we will do everything we can for Mr Gilespie. We do not, do not condone the death penalty anywhere in the world and we want to make sure that we have given and that we will continue to provide, the assistance to Mr Gilespie in this very, very difficult case.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Do you think it’s linked to our ongoing dispute with China?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
I think we need to be very careful about making such links. I think we need to be very careful in our language, both in Government and indeed in the media about this particular case because Mr Gilespie’s life is worth more than that.
ALLISON LANGDON:
But I mean, China has played politics with such issues before. Of course, there was the Canadian man, he was sentenced to 15 years jail in late 2018. That was elevated to the death penalty when a senior Chinese official with Huawei was arrested in Canada. You must be concerned about that.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, of course we are concerned and of course we want to do everything that we can to ensure that Mr Gilespie gets what he needs as far as consular assistance and we will continue to do that. And we will continue to monitor the situation as you would expect very carefully and very closely and we will continue to provide him with the consular assistance that he requires.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Just finally, there are calls for Victorian MP Adem Somyurek to face a police investigation following last night’s explosive edition of ‘60 Minutes’. Should he be sacked?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Before breakfast. And I appreciate people are having breakfast now, but he should be stood down absolutely immediately. The call should have gone from Premier Andrews to him, in fact last night. Of course, they are allegations, but very damning allegations and when people in East Gippsland are still worried about getting back into their homes, when people across Victoria are still worried about their job, when people in Victoria are wanting to make sure that they have bread and butter on the table, here we have a senior politician running around branch-stacking and doing all of the sorts of things that were alleged last night. I tell you what, people waking up in Victoria this morning wouldn't be very impressed and of course it goes all the way to the corridors of power here at Canberra, his influence, apparently, if what was aired last night is true. And of course, these allegations are explosive. If the call hadn't been made by Premier Daniel Andrews last night it should be made in the next 10 minutes.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Sacked before breakfast, the Premier better hurry up. Michael McCormack, thanks for joining us this morning.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Wow. Michael McCormack in very good form this morning.