TRANSCRIPT: SOUNDS OF THE MOUNTAINS RADIO INTERVIEW, 9 June 2020

E&OE

Subjects: Queen’s Birthday Honours, Father Wilfred Plunkett, Eden-Monaro by-election, HomeBuilder, Coronavirus;

DAVID EISENHAUER
The Honourable Michael McCormack, Minister for the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, Regional Development and Communications. Michael, a very good morning but a cold morning to you this morning.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

Yes, it is winter and we do expect it to be cold in winter but you know, it'll get colder before it gets warmer. It’s all good. I’m sure the crisp clean air up in the Snowy Mountains is greeting everybody this morning, it’s the start of the working week. We had a bit of a holiday on Monday and of course, we had the Queen's Birthday Honours and quite a few special people around your district were suitably honoured.

DAVID EISENHAUER

Look, no less than of course, our very own councillor, Bruce Wright, from Tumbarumba and of course, Tumbarumba Rotary and the Kokoda Trek, a very well deserved honour there.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

Yes, look, he's a good man and he always goes on Tumbatrek, he prepares those Tumbarumba High students, wonderful kids, for the trek when they do it each and every other year and he is just a good all-round guy. He has this big jovial laugh through that beard of his and he's into Tumbarumba Rotary, he’s into so many community organisations – a real doer.

DAVID EISENHAUER

And look, we had some Australian Fire Service Medals awarded too around the Adelong and Mundarlo district as well. We've got some wonderful local people putting of course, service before self – that rotary motto – we can sort of translate that right across the community. Mr McCormack, look at some of the wonderful work done by people but a sad day this week too with the passing of a very popular Riverina priest, Father Wilfred Plunkett and I think everybody right across the South-West and North-East districts would know Father Plunkett – that’s for sure.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

Yes and I’ll just mention those too, Michael Neyland from Adelong and Frank Austin, my goodness, Frank Austin has put in something like 50 or 60 years towards to the Mundarlo Rural Fire Brigade, he did a lot of work in and around Tumut and Talbingo over so many years. So well done to both of them for the Rural Fire Service community work but as you say, Father Wilfred Plunkett passed on age 92, loved by all. He didn't care what faith or denomination or even if you had no faith, if you needed to be married, if you needed to have your kids baptised, needed to have a pastoral carer or, you know, a word of advice or whatever. Father Wilfred or Plunk, as he was affectionately known, was the one to turn to and so many people did from so many backgrounds and he'll be mourned by a lot of people right across Wagga Wagga, indeed from Holbrook where he originated. He married me 34 years ago, he baptised each and every one of our three kids. So he's a good man and will be much mourned and much missed.

DAVID EISENHAUER

Very much and of course, very well respected around the region. Talking about respect, we've got less than a month to go and we're walking into the by-election and of course, The Nationals will put a candidate forward, Michael. That was announced over the weekend.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

Yes, we had a tele-presence, video conference, pre-selection, which was a historic first. No major Party has done one of those before to that extent and Trevor Hicks came up trumps and Trevor is a fellow who's done a lot of community work, he's a farmer, he’s a civil engineer, he’s a former footballer and a councillor on Queanbeyan-Palerang Council. He’s a former Deputy Mayor, he's put in the hard yards there, he is an all-round doer. He will certainly get in and be fighting hard for more infrastructure, for better mobile phone services, for all the sorts of things that are important to people, roads and he's been doing that for many, many years. So I’ll be on the campaign trail with Trevor over the next four weeks of course, the nominations close today, there is already a number of candidates who have put their hands up, bearing in mind that the Government hasn’t won a by-election against the Opposition in 100 years. So, you know, The Nationals have got to turn over 100 years of history there as have the Liberals and you know, it's not going to be easy but you know, I think people make the choice and that’s what The Nationals will be, giving voters a choice and particularly somebody committed to rural and regional issues as Trevor is and I'm sure he will do well.

DAVID EISENHAUER

And look, I know people in the region say, “Who are the people? Who are these candidates?” We caught up with various members of the election team that are coming through the region. I think in this district, when you look at the electorate of Eden-Monaro, it's such a huge area, Michael, to cover. It's such a massive district. Part of what we've been looking at lately and something that sparked a lot of interest is the $668 million plan for a tradie-led coronavirus recovery and one thing we looked at – this is the house renovations to simplify for people – but in this particular region, Mr McCormack, we've got the bushfire damaged properties and things around the region and I think there's a real inroad for this but it is particularly getting some flack – we've got to say that it's certainly copping a bit of flack at the moment – but in our region, I think this could be quite a benefit for rebuilding.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

Look, it is getting a little bit of flack and had we just left it at just new home builds. There might not have been such widespread, I suppose, comments about it but the fact is, we have extended it for those renos and you can do a reno for a 1980’s house and do a kitchen, do a bathroom and it does cost a bit of money and you know, it's there if people want it, they don't have to, we're not forcing it on people, it’s there to actually get tradies back into jobs. And to give of course, people a $25,000 boost but mainly it's to try and get those home builders who have been really suffering a downturn because of COVID-19, because of bushfires, because of drought, there's been a real hard hit to their sector. A lot of the tradies are off the tools, we want to see them back on the job, back on the scaffold, back climbing ladders, back using hammers, hitting nails and doing the little things that, you know, tradies do to build homes and once you start a home building-led recovery, it flows on right throughout the community. A lot of people are spending a lot of money and that just keeps that spark of confidence, particularly to a regional economy. So, people don't have to take advantage of the renovation bit if they don't wish to, but certainly the HomeBuilder, $25,000 grant, to a new dwelling commencement within the second half of this year. I know it's going to be something that's going to help a lot of Australians, particularly young Australians.

DAVID EISENHAUER

And look, we look at the news and you know, we have an estimated shortfall of at least 438,000 dwellings and that's before the anticipated COVID-19 –

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

And that needed addressing, that really needed addressing. And so, this will go part of the way to it. And of course, you know, State Governments, many State Governments are offering First Home Owner Schemes, coupled with the other assistance, JobKeeper payments and all the rest of the $260 billion of assistance that we've put into the economy. And of course, today we've extended the Instant Asset Write-Off, $150,000, by another six months to December 31. So you look at all of those, all of those activities and assistance that is happening throughout the economy, then that adds up to the best way we can cushion the effects of the recession, cushion the effects of COVID-19. Get people back to work, get people into new homes, get people renovating their homes and it builds confidence in jobs and activities throughout the whole economy. And that's the way we're addressing it and I know that a lot of people will take advantage of it and benefit from it.

DAVID EISENHAUER

Hopefully and indeed, it will be of assistance to those people rebuilding in our local region. We talk of Bruce Wright, around the Tumbarumba district, a very heavily hit district with fires and the recovery is under way, the clean-up operation continues. We talk about that each and every week with the Bushfire Recovery Coordinator. From the Government perspective, Michael, how are things travelling with the with the bushfire recovery?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

Yes, I spoke with Andrew Colvin last week and look we'll be making more announcements soon about the sort of assistance that we are providing for that, particularly those bushfire-affected areas. I know a number of people have, you know, taken advantage of $75,000 Rural Property Assistance Grants that were given out. People who were say, apple growers or beef producers, all those sorts of people but, you know, those sorts of assistance measures they’re very, very good at getting people through in the first instance but we need of course, long-term recovery and that's what we're doing through Andrew Colvin, through the National Bushfire Recovery Agency and I know that the Minister responsible for this, David Littleproud, is going to be making even more announcements very shortly.

DAVID EISENHAUER

As we head through this time, I know we're starting to get back on track from a general point of view, from National Cabinet, Mr McCormack, we see the ending of the of the free childcare on the 12th of July, the demand increases there. We see restrictions easing, things getting a little bit better, how's things looking generally across the board?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

It depends on who you talk to and a lot of people who are doing it very tough, you know, are talking confidently about the future and some people who haven't been hit as hard, human nature would have it, you know, are bemoaning, “woe is us.” But by and large, I know people appreciate the fact that whatever background they’re from, that they very much appreciated the fact that the cases have been low and the mortality rate is at 102 – and yes, we mourn those losses – but we have been the envy of the world when you look at the health results that we've had and the outcomes that we've had because Australians have done the right thing, because they have downloaded the COVIDSafe app and I urge those Australians who haven't done it, to do it and keep it active on your phone, keep it open on your phone, make sure that it's working. It's essential that we do that. Unfortunate to see, of course, so many people flouting those rules over the weekend. But we need people to be their best selves, to maintain social-distancing. We'll get through this together. Yes, it's going to be hard. No question at all. Some people won't have the same jobs when they go back, others might not have a job at all, but the Government's doing everything that it can to make sure that we re-engage people in the workforce, that we provide the confidence and the stimulus for businesses, small businesses particularly, to re-hire people and to re-connect and to open their doors and it's going to be tough and it's going to be tough for some time ahead. But, you know, this is a global pandemic and the Government has done its best to address the health issues first, of course, the economic fallout from it as well. And we are the envy of the world when it comes to both of those things.

DAVID EISENHAUER

Well these are being discussed today aren’t they? Because of course, with the Senate Committee meeting today to discuss JobKeeper, what’s your thoughts there?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

Well, Senate Committees are one thing. Out in the real world and out in the community, that's where the full effects of the downturn are hardest hit. That's where the assistance though, also hits the ground and enables people and I know, having been around in many places in the last few weeks and talking to people via Zoom conferences and whatnot. You know, people have told me that the assistance has been able to re-engage them, particularly in the last two weeks as some of the restrictions have been eased and people have been able to get out and about. I have been to Cowra, I’ve been to Young, I’ve been to various areas of course. So many regional Australians have told me that but for the JobKeeper, JobSeeker and now the JobMaker arrangements, they would not be in the position that they're in. So, people are grateful for that. We will continue to of course, address the issues that are affecting the economy and what we don't want to see is a second wave of coronavirus outbreaks. What we don't want to see is people coming down with this virus and placing such pressure on particularly, our regional health services. We've done so well, so far. But there's more work to be done and you know, until those restrictions are fully eased, people have to continue to obey the rules and regulations put down by the Chief Medical Officer of the country, Professor Brendan Murphy.

DAVID EISENHAUER

Indeed and a couple of weeks to go until we see the effects of the rallies that were staged around the region too. A lot of people in fairly tight spaces, we could say?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

Indeed and a shame that so many people had to do that. I understand Australians have the right to protest and demonstrate. But I'll tell you what, in a fortnight's time if we see a second wave or if we see a number of particularly regional Australians and even capital cities having these enormous outbreaks, then it'll be very sad indeed. And, you know, placing other people's lives at risk, including your own is not the way we need to go in the first or second week of June when we've done so well, to get this far with only 102 deaths and most of the cases have fully recovered.

DAVID EISENHAUER

What we've done as a country and for the community. We've done extremely well, Mr McCormack, time is of the essence for yourself. You've got other commitments, we've got ski resorts and all sorts of things to chat about next time we catch up, anything else you'd like to add today?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

All good, I've got a meeting with the Prime Minister in 38 minutes and I know he's looking forward to getting on and talking to you too. So I chatted to him about it last week and Scott Morrison is more than happy to come on your wonderful radio program and talk to all those great people who you serve so well, David.

DAVID EISENHAUER

I’m looking forward to that, we certainly welcome the Prime Minister, we had the Governor-General on the week before last –

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

He’s a good man, David Hurley.

DAVID EISENHAUER

Indeed and Ms Hurley even sang us a song which is fantastic.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

She loves singing, she loves putting those tunes on and she's a great lady.

DAVID EISENHAUER

My word she is and to yourself, thank you very much for joining us this morning on the station, the Honourable Michael McCormack, all the best for the day ahead.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK

Talk again soon, thanks David.