TRANSCRIPT: INTERVIEW ON SUNRISE, CHANNEL 7, 4 February 2021
7:33AM
E&OE
Subjects: Coronavirus, Road Safety;
NATALIE BARR
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack joins me now from Canberra. Good morning to you. Is Craig Kelly entitled to spread his opinions on COVID-19, or do you agree what he is saying is damaging?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Craig Kelly is supporting the Federal Government vaccine strategy.
NATALIE BARR
Now he is, but he hasn't been has he?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
It's important he's actually supporting our strategy going forward, we need to get as many Australians as possible to take that jab, to have that dose. We've seen just overnight what happens when we get just a little chink in the armour of our quarantining. We have a State now facing restrictions – mask wearing of course, compulsory in public places in Victoria – and what we want to do is make sure that we have this vaccine roll-out. That as many Australians get it as possible and that we keep the peace and calm throughout the nation. We’re doing this together. We have done this together all the way through. Australians have been magnificent and that’s why we've had so few deaths, of course, 909 and that is very sad but we’re working through this together. Thanks to Australians who have so far done the right thing and it's important that this vaccine strategy is now able to be put into place.
NATALIE BARR
Yes, you’re absolutely right, it's very important, so why hasn't your Government called him in before now and dressed him down on the opinions he's been sprouting?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, Parliament has only resumed this week, and the fact remains –
NATALIE BARR
So you had to wait for Parliament to resume to –
MICHAEL McCORMACK
No, no, he is a Liberal and I know that the Prime Minister has certainly spoken to him yesterday, I know that's an important thing. Craig has said that he supports the vaccine strategy. Of course, he's had other ideas as well and some others have had other ideas as well but we've got one strategy. We have the Pfizer, we’ve got the AstraZeneca and of course, we haven't placed all our eggs in one basket and this is the Government’s strategy. Craig agrees with that and that's important thing.
NATALIE BARR
Okay, moving on, you’re reminding Australians to be safer on our roads this morning, what has sparked this road safety campaign?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
We've got a $2 billion strategy which is going to provide for extra shoulder strengthening, we've got rumble strips right across the nation. Now, they're not big things, Natalie, but they are important things because they save lives and if anybody doubts the strategy for road safety, they only had to look at the magnificent Abdallah family this week with their i4Give Day. They lost three of their own and a cousin in a dreadful road crash last year when a ute jumped the curb and took out the kids while they were going to get an ice-cream, it is so sad. We lost 1106 people on our roads last year. We’ve got better roads, we’ve got better cars but unfortunately, people are still losing their lives. But what we want to make sure is that we have got the road safety measures in place and that we keep doing that all the way through to ensure that we do save lives and we do lessen that road trauma because we’re working towards Vision Zero. It is – again like the strategy for the vaccine – it's all Australians in this together. When you're behind the wheel of a car and indeed, a passenger in a car, make sure you follow the rules.
NATALIE BARR
It would be good to get them safer, Michael McCormack, we thank you for your time today.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Thanks Natalie.
ENDS 7:36AM