TRANSCRIPT: Doorstop with WA Nats Leader Mia Davies and Geraldton MP Ian Blayney Geraldton, WA, 19 February 2021
E&OE
MIA DAVIES
Great to be here back in Geraldton, and especially with the Deputy Prime Minister who's come to join us for the launch of the Nationals WA campaign here. We've got all our candidates that have come in, across region of Western Australia, ahead of the March 13 polling day. We're looking forward to catching up with them and talking about the party's platform, heading into the last three weeks of the campaign. Before we go in, we've got an election commitment to make and it's very fitting that the Deputy Prime Minister is here today with us. The Deputy Prime Minister has shown an incredible interest in improving our agricultural freight networks. The Wheatbelt Secondary Freight Network has received millions of dollars from the Federal Government over the last three years. Forty local governments have worked hard to put forward a plan. And what we're announcing today is an extension of funding that applies to the Regional Agricultural Freight Network strategy. So a strategy that's been developed over the last four years by the State Government but has had very little funding applied to it. We've worked with industry to identify to identify 16 priority projects on rail and road to increase the productivity and the efficiency of the agricultural freight network here in Western Australia. We are committing to up to $200 million of the $360 million required. We expect to work and seek co-investment from industry over the 10 years that this project will be rolled out and we’re looking forward to working with our Federal colleagues as well. We understand through discussions with industry that this would improve productivity and efficiency across the network. It would return up to $40 million in benefits to the grain sector which delivers $6 billion every year to the state's economy, and improve the safety of our roads and our rail infrastructure to ensure that we're investing for an agricultural sector for the future. We understand also that modeling has been done so over the 10 years there would be the creation of 2000 jobs and also a reduction in the road maintenance requirements for our local governments in the impacted area to the tune of about $2 million a year. So we think this is a win-win, we think it's an important project or a series of projects to invest in to improve that productivity and efficiency of a sector that delivers so much to our State's economy. I'll hand over to Michael for some comments and then I'm happy to take some questions.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Great to be here in Geraldton with Mia Davies and her Deputy Leader Shane Love and with Ian Blayney, the local member for Geraldton, the state member for the WA Nats.
March 3 is going to be a watershed day for WA voters. On that day, those people in Western Australia who live in the regions have a very clear, a very stark choice: they vote for the WA Nationals and they get the sort of delivery that Mia Davies has just talked about. The sort of the delivery that is going to create opportunities, most importantly jobs to lift the prospects of these regions. Or they get the choice of just a Perth-centric, a city-centric administration, going forward. The WA Nats are there for the regions – always have been, always will be. More than 100 years of delivery, more than 100 years of creating opportunities and jobs in the regions. The whole point of being for the WA Nats is to make sure that the regions get looked after, and certainly the Royalties for Regions program did just that. But what are we seeing since the WA Nats were not in government: that money filtered back, filtered back at a very fast rate to Perth. Of course, the capital city is important for Western Australia, there's no doubt about that. But so too are the regions. It's the regions which are creating the mining; it's the regions which are creating the agricultural wealth and I want to partner with Mia Davies and the WA Nats to make sure that we roll out more of that infrastructure money, more of those programs and projects, which the regions so desperately need and require, deserve, demand and expect. The people in the regions, they need better. They need better from the government which resides in Perth, they need that government to govern for all of Western Australia. It is a big, big state. And that's why I've been pleased – as the leader of the National Party in Canberra, in government – to be able to ensure that regional WA doesn't miss out as far as road funding is concerned. And I know that of the $2 billion that we've allocated for the road safety upgrades, that $284 million is coming to WA. I was pleased that $126 million in the first tranche has gone to 62 projects in WA. Many of those projects, of course, are going to be in the regions. And of course, to top that off, we've also got $190 million as part of the Local Roads Community Infrastructure funding. That's going to all councils, right across the nation – 537 of them. And here in Geraldton, $3.2 million going to the Greater Geraldton City Council to be able to spend not just on roads, but on that community infrastructure which makes such a difference, which makes livability in these regional centres, so much more agreeable to those people who want to get out of the cities and come and live in a great region. That's what we're all about. We want people to move to the regions, we want to give them reason to move into the regions and the WA Nats have certainly done that I've done it in spades. I've worked with Mia and Shane for many, many years, promoting the regions, promoting infrastructure, getting programs and projects out here to the country regions, because if COVID-19 has taught us anything it’s that you can work from anywhere in Australia, anywhere in regional Australia. You might be in a boardroom in Perth or Sydney or Brisbane or Melbourne, wherever the case might be, but you can do it from a great region. But we want these regions to be better places in which to live, work, play. And that's why we are investing heavily in the regions. That's why Mia is talking about agriculture and growing it through better infrastructure, $200 million over 10 years. I look forward to when Mia is in government, partnering with her and her WA Nats team to do just that.
JOURNALIST
Your presence here today is that indicative of what you think the chances are for the Nationals in this seat?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, I wouldn't be here if I didn't think they were an absolute winning chance. Actually I would because I kinda like Mia! And we catch up off and whether it's in Canberra, she’s always on the phone to me. Every week or so I get a call from Mia, or Shane, or Ian or Terry Redmond, or Marty Aldrich or big Nick Fardell. They've got a team of doers, they've got a team of builders, and they've got my mobile number and they use it regularly because they want better infrastructure. I like the WA Nats. I've come to every one of their conferences from almost the time I've been in Parliament. This is a great state. It is one of the powerhouses of our nation and our nation needs powerhouses at the moment. Our nation, despite COVID, has done very well. Yes, we've lost 909 people and that's been very, very sad from James Kwan, the first one to lose his life in Perth on March 1. We've lost another 908 Australians and that's very, very sad for their families. But we've done well through COVID.
Two of the great sectors which have actually kept things going for our nation and for our nation’s economy – it is agriculture and, of course, the mining resources sector. Those sectors are very large here in Western Australia. Mia has a plan to grow those sectors even further. Do the other parties? Do the Greens? Do Labor? No. No they don’t. But Mia and her team does. What I do fear in the future if Mia and her team are not in Government, I do fear then I do fear that there are going to be more green activists having a bigger say. We see that in other capital cities, other parts of Australia. We see it with native veg laws in Queensland. We don't want to see it here in Western Australia which can be and continue to be the powerhouse of the nation when it comes to mining and agricultural resources and the rest.
JOURNALIST
What is your opinion on WA’s border stance over the last 10 months.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
I didn't come here to fight with any State premier as far as border closures. I appreciate that premiers do what they think they need to do to keep people safe. I understand that. I've been very loath to criticise whether it's Mark McGowan, whether it's Annastacia Palaszczuk and even Daniel Andrews in recent weeks. Unfortunately we have seen a snap decisions made very hastily which has impacted a lot of people's lives. Impacted, of course, the tourism and aviation sector and that's why we've put $2.72 billion on the table to help the aviation sector. Of course, we will continue to look at that and to address the issues as they arise.
These are difficult times and what people also want is they want the vaccine. Happily, the vaccine will be rolled out and the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be available next week. Geraldton, well, it's going to be one of the first recipients of that Pfizer vaccine, just like regional Australia will be at the same time as the capital cities. That's because the Nats in Canberra made sure that happened. Mark Coulton, the Minister for Regional Health, made sure that happened, that regional areas were served, were going to get the vaccine – frontline medical personnel for those people who look after aged care residents and, for indeed, for the residents themselves. They will be getting the vaccine first, under the phase 1a rollout, and they'll be getting here in Geraldton, and that's expected to be next week.
JOURNALIST
I’ve got one for Mia. The decision to launch in Geraldton, is that a symbol of your commitment to the regions?
MIA DAVIES
Absolutely. We do our state conferences every year somewhere in the regions. We've had a strong presence here over the last four years, we've built a strong party around our base here and we welcome Ian as our local member. And so we've drawn all of our members from the deep south, from the north to come here – which is really a central point in regional Western Australia – to rally them together for what is going to be an incredibly difficult task over the next three weeks. To make sure that regional Western Australians understand that this next election is about more than just one issue. In regional Western Australia, this election has to be about more than just the management of COVID-19, because we see real risk in losing regional representation and your voice in the State Pparliament. So our message for our candidates as they spread back out into the vast regions of Western Australia is that there is something worth fighting for: we are fighting for Royalties for Regions, we are fighting for regional communities, and for a voice that will be forever changed if we see Labor and the Greens win in control of the Upper House.
JOURNALIST
Do you think the Mark McGowan factor is going to spoil the chances of your incumbents not just here, but in other regional areas?
MIA DAVIES
I've got great faith in all of my candidates. They've worked incredibly hard. Ian Blayney has worked very hard at a great grassroots level here in Geraldton, has done for many years. Everywhere I traveled, he has the utmost respect of people, businesses. He's been a very strong and persistent voice on behalf of the people of Geraldton in the State Parliament, and I'd be very happy to have him sitting around the National Party table come March 13. And I know that the people in the Midwest, with Shane Love standing next to me and likewise all of my other parliamentary members, understand and value the role the Nationals have played over the last four years. There are many issues that, had we not been standing shoulder to shoulder with those communities, that would have delivered a poor outcome as a result of decisions made by this Labor government. That's why I say this election is about more than just one issue, especially in regional Western Australia. Never forget that the McGowan government, the Labor Government made a decision to cut schools here, they slashed Community Resources Centre funding, they've attacked agricultural education funds, they’ve sought to take increase the gold tax. There's a whole plethora of things, not to mention the rock lobster industry here that was thrown into turmoil by decisions that do not represent a government that is looking to represent the people of regional Western Australia. You need a voice to protect regional Western Australians, the Nationals are the only party that can be trusted to do that.
JOURNALIST
How do you feel about Parliaments cross Australia, things like workplaces for women especially in light of Jacqui Boydell’s complaints and the recent situation in Canberra?
MIA DAVIES
Doesn't matter whether it's a parliament or a corporate workplace or community organisation – every person has the right to go to work and not be subject to harassment. That is just a crystal-clear expectation. It’s morally wrong for people to have to deal with issues that we see regularly being raised in the media. And I feel for those who have got to the point where they’ve needed to speak out because they’ve been unsupported. But from my perspective every workplace, not just the parliaments, but every workplace. Every person has the right to go to work and conduct their business without harassment.
JOURNALIST
Ian, you made the leap a couple of years ago because you wanted to be with a party more on the regions. Have you found that to be the case?
IAN BLAYNEY
Totally, totally. And that's a good thing as when we're sitting around the table, talking about regional issues and all the other people sitting around the table have been to those places and they understand the issues, wherever it is– whether it’s the Kimberleys or on the South Coast or anywhere in between – they’ve got a wide knowledge of the issues and that makes my job a lot easier.
JOURNALIST
You’ve been the choice for Geraldton for quite a while now. Are you confident again?
IAN BLAYNEY
It’s an interesting election we’re going into. On the ground I’m picking up what I did in those other campaigns. I seem to be getting quite positive feedback on the ground. I’m quietly confident.
JOURNALIST
Yesterday, Mark McGowan said that many of the Liberal and National promises were pie in the sky, they were too large, they weren't targeted and well thought out. What is your response to that?
IAN BLAYNEY
I think Mark McGowan has had the most amazing run of luck as Premier, this Labor Government. They had the Federal Government, the Morrison government – the Deputy Prime Minister is standing here with us – they fixed the GST issue, and that's where a lot of McGowan’s money has come from. And the other thing is we've had this amazing run of record iron ore prices and that gives us a surplus of $3.2 billion. All McGowan ever did was talk about this debt that we had and he’s done nothing about that debt, he’s just ignored it. In fact going to increase from $31 billion to $41 billion and he's sitting on this massive $3.2 billion surplus. So, if anyone's got some explaining to do about the figures, it’s Mark McGowan.
JOURNALIST
For the Deputy Prime Minister. Last night someone drove their ute straight into the Murray Street Mall. We've all seen what terrorists have been able to do in Melbourne. Is WA unprepared for a terror attack?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Australia needs to be constantly on the alert for this sort of activity, sadly, and that's why I know many capital cities have put up bollards. Our state police do an absolutely superb job and they do right across the country. And of course with the necessary resources we've strengthened our ASIO, we've strengthened our AFP resources and everything else. But when people are mad enough and bad enough to do harm to others, sadly, sometimes, that is the result of their actions. But Australians should feel safe in our own country, we should. Don't ever get too complacent. See anything report it. I’ll say that again, our state police do a mighty job, whether it's in regional WA, Perth, or anywhere else. I take my hat off to anybody who puts on that police uniform because when these sorts of incidents happen, they run to the incident to do the safety things for and on behalf of the other people, whereas most of us would run the other way. Our police to a mighty job. I commend them every day of the week.
JOURNALIST
Does the WA government need to spend less time being tough on borders and more time and energy
MICHAEL McCORMACK
I think we'll see a different approach when the vaccine comes out. I think what we'll see is, hopefully, life return to some sort of pre-COVID normality. And I urge and encourage all Australians to get that check, to make sure that they take that opportunity to get that jab because those doses are going to be so important and better to get the vaccine than to leave it and then weeks later be in an ICU bed, wondering why you didn't do it. So the jab, the vaccine is going to be so important. It's coming to Geraldton next week, the first vaccines will be right throughout the regional WA. All those frontline medical personnel who've also been very much heroes and heroines of this very hard year. They’ve looked after WA, they’ve looked after the regional areas and right across the country, our frontline medical personnel have done a great job. So I urge and encourage Australians to get that vaccine and let's get through this together.
If I could just add one more thing. Thank you to you journalists for turning up today. Thank you to your organisations for sending them to this event. Yes, it's important for the WA Nats. It's also important that we get the word out there, and your organisations have paid money to have you people here, and you have turned up in good faith. Your words, your film, what hits the airwaves is important for other Australians to listen to and we want more journalists, and more press conferences, right across the nation. And you should be paid for it, your organisations should be paid for it, and Australia, won't be dictated to by a big tech company that doesn't want to pay, that doesn't value what you do for on behalf of Australians. They should be paying your organisations for it and certainly should be paying the regional organisations for it because regional journalism is important. I know, I was a regional journalist for 21 years and I know the role, the important role that you do for and on behalf of the regions. We won't be silenced as a government, as a nation by a big tech company that wants to take all the profits overseas and not pay a cent for it.
Thank you very much.