TRANSCRIPT: WAGGA WAGGA DOORSTOP, 31 March 2021

12:15PM

E&OE

Subjects: New South Wales Fixing Local Roads Program;

JOURNALIST

Today, this roads announcement, tell us what it is.

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, under the Fixing Local Roads Program between the Commonwealth and State, we're going to be putting $4.2 million towards the Dobney Avenue and Pearson Street upgrade and for the tradies and truckies, for all of the people who use that west Wagga industrial area, that's going to be such good news. Because we know that the road is rough, we know that it needs fixing and we're getting on and we're doing it, right across the Riverina and the Central West with $20 million as part of this state-wide program to fix local roads. So, that's on top, of course, of all the money that we're providing under the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure which is a Commonwealth program, where we're spending $1.5 billion for the 537 councils and the 12 I represent in the Riverina, well, they're beneficiaries of that, too.

There's never been more money for local roads, for local upgrades and for Wagga Wagga City Council and so we're getting on, we're fixing those roads and that will be very good news for people because of course, we've had a lot of rain lately, that takes its effect and takes its toll on the local roads. So, we're getting on and we're fixing them.

JOURNALIST

And that particular section as well, have you seen a lot of – has there been a lot of feedback from the community about it as well?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, indeed and I drive on that particular stretch of road quite often because I'm a resident of Wagga Wagga, I get around town, looking at things and of course, talking with constituents and going out to Bunnings, as we all do and making sure that I get around and talk with small businesses, small businesses, which of course, have been impacted by COVID. Small businesses which take the risks and they employ people and we want them to be their best selves and so when their road is a bit shoddy, when their road is uneven, when they road has potholes, it needs to be fixed and so delighted to be partnering with the State Government and getting that road fixed. $4.2 million – it's not just Pearson Street, its Dobney Avenue as well. But indeed, right throughout the Riverina and Central West, we’re spending record amounts of money on all those local roads and getting them upgraded as people would expect us to do.

JOURNALIST

And when is this due to start?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Work will start very, very soon. The money will certainly roll-out and we want the money to roll-out in not just the months ahead, but indeed the weeks – the days – ahead because when you see hi-vis out there, when you see workers with shovels in the ground and on grader seats and moving dirt around, that's delivery in action and that's getting people into jobs. Of course, as we come out the back of COVID, as people get vaccinated, that's what we want to see. We want to make sure that there's more people in jobs. This area has been very, very good and I thank Wagga Wagga and district residents for being their best selves through COVID-19, for social distancing, for wearing masks, for doing all those things that we've been asked to do. It's been tough. It has been very, very tough. Of course, tomorrow, the first tickets will go on sale and the first people will get on planes for that tourism, aviation support package, that $1.2 billion supporting the aviation industry. We continue to support REX, we continue to support Qantas, we continue to support Virgin and other airlines as well, through the regional airline network support, through the domestic aviation network support and through now this tourism aviation network support. RANS, DANS and TANS, we're getting on, we're putting the support mechanisms in place for our aviation sector, we'll continue to do that.

JOURNALIST

So, with Qantas announcing new services between Wagga and Melbourne, is there any consideration for expanding those flights to include Wagga as a destination?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, we will look at it. We've said all along that we will look at it every month, we will review it and we'll see what we can do. What we wanted to do was to make sure that for all those destinations which normally have international tourists all over the place such as North Queensland, such as Darwin, such as Kangaroo Island – Wagga Wagga isn't a haven for international tourists as such. But I said all along that we'd look at it, it was mainly to support those areas, which had had no tourism and which have been totally smashed and Wagga Wagga has been well supported through COVID. Through the regional airline network support, we've got those flights in, we've made sure that REX – indeed REX is one of the very few airlines in the entire world to enlarge their services and to enlarge the fleet during the global pandemic and that has been significantly helped by the support that the Federal Government has given to REX and I only spoke to John Sharp yesterday about that support continuing and what we would do and what we could do not just for REX, it's not just about the airlines, it's about the communities those airlines serve. So, I've been at great pains to point out that this tourism aviation network support would be examined, would be reviewed, every month of the way through. So, it's April to July at the moment and we'll look at it at the end of April. We'll look at it at the end of May. And we'll look at an end of June and then come July 31, if we need to continue that support. Well, I'll go back to Cabinet and I'll say, “Well, the aviation sector, the tourism sector needs continued support, let’s see what we can do.”

JOURNALIST

Thanks, Michael.

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Thank you.

ENDS 12.20PM

Shane Manning