TRANSCRIPT: INTERVIEW ON THE TODAY SHOW, 12 August 2020
E&OE
Subjects: Coronavirus, Border Closures;
KARL STEFANOVIC
Closed until Christmas, that's the minimum forecast for Australia's current border closures with some State leaders revealing it could be up to 18 months before we see the tough controls lifted.
ALLISON LANGDON
For more on this, we are joined by Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, who is in Darwin and infectious disease expert Dr Paul Griffin in Brisbane. Gentlemen, thanks for joining us this morning. Michael, WA says a year, the Northern Territory says at least another 18 months, seriously?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
We will take the best medical advice and I appreciate that this is very much the role of the States and Territories to make these determinations for their own areas, for their own people. But, we've said all along that we'll take the best medical advice and that's what we'll do. One thing will be sure and that is people will be holidaying at home and across Australia, so for our very much coronavirus-ravaged tourism industry, that is at least some little bit of a shining light.
KARL STEFANOVIC
Michael, if the borders are closed for that long, some are saying Christmas in Queensland, Northern Territory, WA, that's going to be catastrophic to tourism and it’s going to be catastrophic to the budget.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
It is indeed. And what I was saying before is that, intra-state travel will be possible but let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves –
KARL STEFANOVIC
But will it?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. I realise the health crisis has to be contained and minimised. State Premiers and Chief Ministers have made those border closures to protect their own regions, their own jurisdictions. It's an unfortunate situation but I think they're putting the worst-case scenario there, Karl.
ALLISON LANGDON
We keep talking about what this is going to do to the economy, but I keep thinking about the families. Families who live in different states. You’ve got grandparents who haven't met grandchildren. People with sick or dying relatives that they can't get to. From a family point of view, I don't understand how you can do this to people.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
It's awful. It is absolutely awful, but the important thing is that people stay healthy as best they can. Follow the advice. Download the COVIDSafe app. Do everything they've been asked to do. If they're in self-isolation, follow the rules. Look out for not just themselves but for others indeed, the most vulnerable members of society, our aged.
ALLISON LANGDON
Michael, are there conversations taking place behind the scenes between the Premiers, the Prime Minister and yourself as to what can be done to ensure that these borders can re-open sooner?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Indeed, on a daily, if not hourly basis. We will continue to do that. Of course, the National Cabinet process has worked so far so good. We need to be our best selves. As we've just heard, we need to make sure absolutely that we do all the right things. Not just for our own sake, our own family's sake but indeed for those other members of society. If people are being asked to quarantine, for goodness sake, stay in quarantine. Do the right thing. States ought to take every available assistance that is being provided by the Commonwealth and also they're going to need to do a lot more themselves as far as economic assistance for businesses and for those industries to help get through this. The Commonwealth has provided so far $314 billion of assistance. This is not just a health situation, it is also very much an economic situation which we need to address, which we are addressing but we need everybody to be on board.
KARL STEFANOVIC
And Deputy Prime Minister, did Daniel Andrews lie about the ADF being called-in?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
You'd have to ask Daniel Andrews that. I know that the ADF were there ready. Yesterday, 1,743 ADF personnel were helping out in all sorts of areas in Victoria. What a difference they make. Just for reassurance – if that was the only thing they provided, that integrity of the uniform, they were always there ready to serve, to assist. Linda Reynolds made that point very clear yesterday. That was always the case.
KARL STEFANOVIC
Good to talk to you, thank you, really appreciate it.