TRANSCRIPT: SOUNDS OF THE MOUNTAINS RADIO INTERVIEW, 19 August 2020
E&OE
Subjects: Coronavirus, Rural Road Safety Month;
DAVID EISENHAUER
Now, if trials prove successful we’re looking at the Australian Government to sign an agreement with AstraZeneca to secure Oxford University’s COVID-19 vaccine if trials prove successful and joining us on the line, Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack. Thank you very much for your time this morning.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Look, it’s great to be on air and I hear you’ve got a helper, that’s fantastic.
EMMA ALCHIN
I’m doing my best to help, Michael.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Indeed. Welcome aboard, Emma.
EMMA ALCHIN
Thank you.
DAVID EISENHAUER
This is exciting news, Deputy PM. I’m just watching Scott Morrison there, he was chatting there on the ABC about this as well. This is sort of evolving pretty quickly, Michael.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well it is and what has happened for those who have not tuned in or aren’t aware, the Australian Government has reached an agreement with the UK-based drug company, AstraZeneca to ensure that our country, our Australian people, will be amongst the first in the world to receive a COVID-19 vaccine if the trials prove successful and they are in their very late stage three phase.
This is a bit of a breakthrough and I have to say, it actually offers hope, it provides hope. And if there’s one thing that all Australians need right now, David, it is hope. These trials are developed with the Oxford University, one of about 160 going on around the world. And I know that Australian universities have been at the forefront of trying to develop a vaccine too, but this UK-based one seems to be the most developed. And if it proves successful, we will manufacture and supply vaccines straight away and make it free for 25 million Australians. So everybody will get the vaccine. Everybody who wants the vaccine will get the vaccine, should this prove successful. And look, we’ve already invested more than a quarter of a billion dollars in vaccine technology, in development work, making sure that if there is one available, then we’re going to be at the forefront to get our people to get it.
DAVID EISENHAUER
As we mentioned, the key element in this is the trials, but already we’re seeing, what they are talking about, they’re supplying and reserving 100 million doses. We’re looking at 160 or so people going through the trials. There’s a lot of work. I mean, this is one of the world’s leading universities too, Mr McCormack.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Look, indeed it is. I mean, its world-renowned, as we all know, Oxford. And look, we will also remain committed to ensuring that of course, we keep the economic assistance that we’ve provided. We want to make sure that our economy gets through this. We’ve done this the whole way through, whether it’s been through JobKeeper, JobSeeker, HomeBuilder, JobMaker. We’ve put the initiatives and the measures in place to ensure that our economy could resist the shocks of COVID-19, which has been a global pandemic. And if there is that health hope available and successful then we will provide it to each and every Australian.
DAVID EISENHAUER
Well, I mean, you wind the clock back a couple of weeks and this discussion wasn’t even occurring. It was in the university spheres, but to have that out in the news this morning, to be chatting away, there’s a glimmer of light on the horizon, one could say.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Yes, rest assured we’ve been working closely with partners overseas. I know the work that I’ve done, the PM’s done of course, the Health Minister’s done, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Marise Payne, has done to ensure that these vaccines, once developed, were freely available indeed to Australians. And this is going to be such a breakthrough, not just for Australia of course, David, but for the entire world, if it is successful.
DAVID EISENHAUER
Indeed, very much so a worldwide issue. Look, we’re looking down here at some other good news. As Minister for Transport and Regional Issues, Michael, when you look at the border and the farmers on our border, some good news today. We’re seeing the permit system just a bit easier for our farmers that have got a bit of dirt on each side of that river.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Yes, I don’t know how many phone calls went backwards and forwards between the New South Wales Agriculture Minister, Adam Marshall and myself last week but yes, there is some hope, a glimmer of hope there. A lot of farmers of course, have land on both sides of the Murray and access to their properties via those 57 or so bridges and ways across the border makes it difficult for them at the best of times let alone when of course, those borders have been blocked off.
So look, it has been difficult because of course, the Premiers have the jurisdiction right over their own people and over their own states and of course, they want to make sure that every step is taken to stop the spread of the coronavirus and you can understand that. But we need to work sensibly and we need to make sure that whether it’s health, whether it’s agriculture, whatever the case might be, that people who are eligible and are entitled can get across the border, whether it’s New South Wales, Queensland or Victoria or South Australia. You know, a lot of people in the Mallee region of Victoria actually, you know, for the Victorian-South Australian situation, they actually have closer ties to Adelaide than they do to Melbourne. They are, in fact, closer to Adelaide than they are to Melbourne. That’s not dissimilar with a lot of these circumstances with people owning property and having their livelihoods over the other side of a river or a border. And what we want to do is make sure that accessibility is there.
DAVID EISENHAUER
That’s something we talk about, that accessibility and we talk access around our regions. And, of course, August coming up is Rural Road Safety Month of course, you very much have a finger on the pulse as far as our rural roads are concerned, Michael, as the Deputy PM as well. That’s a big month, August, for this issue. We’ve got too many lives being lost on our rural roads.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, we lost 1,200 people on our roads last year and a disproportionate number of those were regional people, David. And what we want to make sure is that every day is road safety day. I always say too, when I’m talking about road safety – which is just about every day – it’s not just the driver’s responsibility, it’s also a passenger’s responsibility. If they see the driver doing the wrong thing either on their phone or not buckling up or if they’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol or speeding or not driving to the conditions, they should say something, urge that driver to reconsider what they’re doing because it only takes a split second and then, you know, it’s a tragedy.
DAVID EISENHAUER
It’s so true. And it affects not just the families immediate but of course it goes right down that chain through into communities and particularly our smaller communities, the smaller farming communities that are out in the western districts and places like that as well as the cities.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Look, it does. We’ve got better roads. We’ve got better cars. We just need better behaviour.
EMMA ALCHIN
Less distractions.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Indeed.
DAVID EISENHAUER
Very much so but look, this morning, thank you very much for calling in too. I mean, that’s great news. Free for all Australians if these trials prove successful. What’s your thoughts on that one? What do you think?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, it could well be before the end of the year. If not, early next year. But, there’s hope there to today. Today there is hope. Look, the Government wouldn’t be going out and making these sorts of announcements if they weren’t in their late stage. If we hadn’t clinched this deal. And of course, if the vaccine doesn’t prove that it’s going to do what it says it does there are a lot of other vaccine trials also in mid to late-term developmental stages. And so, you know, there is that hope. We’ve got the world’s best people right on our own doorstep, but certainly there’s a number of Australians who have worked so hard to get a vaccine. But indeed, this UK one looks as though it’s the most developed and we’ve been able to clinch this deal with the UK-based company, with Oxford. And I have to say, it offers hope.
DAVID EISENHAUER
My word it does.
EMMA ALCHIN
What an incredible feat in such a small amount of time, when you compare to other vaccinations that have been developed over the years. They take years and years and years and years. And the pressure to get this vaccination happening, what an astounding result.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Look, it is. And we see the great work of Rotary International and Rotary clubs right throughout our region, indeed our nation, who have put in so much money over the years with Bill Gates and other philanthropists to rid the world of polio. And apart from one or two outbreaks in a couple of African countries, you know, it’s so close to be eradicated. But, you know, if we could get rid of COVID it would be such a great thing for the world.
EMMA ALCHIN
Definitely on the way, aren’t we?
DAVID EISENHAUER
My word.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Indeed we are and I mean, we’ve lost 438 Australians. That is very, very sad but when you compare our rates to what’s happening overseas, of course there’s been just so many people who have lost their lives through this. We need a vaccine and we need it fast and the Australian Government is doing everything it can, once that vaccine is available, to provide it free to each and every Australian.
DAVID EISENHAUER
Indeed. Mr McCormack, thank you very much for taking some time to have a chat to us, as you do regularly on the station. It really is appreciated.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Thanks, David. Good luck, Emma.
EMMA ALCHIN
Thank you so much.