TRANSCRIPT: PRIME7 WAGGA INTERVIEW
Subjects: Federal election, pre-poll, Federal funding
E&OE
9.30am
JOURNALIST
You did mention you are getting a lot of feedback to your office, can you let us know what sort of things are people are concerned about heading into the election? What are you hearing?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well people are obviously concerned about costs of living, they are obviously concerned about Aged Care and all sorts of things. They are very pleased, though, with the fact that the Coalition Government has been able to save lives and livelihoods through COVID and of course it has been such a terrible time of recent years. We have had floods, we have drought, we have had bushfires and yet despite all that the Government has been able to make sure that we protected hundreds of thousands of jobs and indeed tens of thousands of lives. That’s what we’ve done through our policies and that’s what we’ve done through hard work and that’s what we’ve done thanks to the Australian people rolling up their sleeves, getting the vaccinations and doing the right thing by their country.
JOURNALIST
It is the last week and it obviously has been a very interesting election, a lot of stuff thrown around, pre-polls saying all sorts of things about who the preferred Prime Minister is, it’s a bit you know, up and down, how are you feeling about reclaiming your seat here?
MICHAEL McCORMACK: Well people do talk about the Prime Minister and they do talk about the Deputy Prime Minister, but essentially people in the Riverina will vote for a local candidate. People right across the nation will be voting for the local candidates who’ve put their hand up in those local electorates. So, that’s what it is, so people ought not get confused – they’re not voting for Scott Morrison, they are voting, indeed, for hopefully Michael McCormack, but they are voting for local candidates in their own region. So only the people of Cook will be able to vote for Scott Morrison. And certainly if I'm re-elected for a fifth term, I'll be just getting on and doing the sorts of things that I've always done: working hard for the Riverina, delivering the infrastructure, delivering the services, making sure that our local councils are well funded. That's what I've always done. That's what I intend to continue to do.
JOURNALIST: I guess encouraging people to focus on who they have to vote for and not be looking at the wider picture?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, indeed. And just look at the candidates in their own local electorate and decide on that and making sure that they know that I've got the experience, the drive, the energy and the delivery. I've had the outcomes over 12 years, I am fiercely determined to continue that.
JOURNALIST
And you've had a lot of candidates come up against you this time around. What has been your take in how the campaign has gone as far as the amount of people? On the varying viewpoints, a lot of them have the same skewed views that have come from other candidates. What do you think?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
I don't concentrate or focus on or worry about what other candidates are saying or doing. I just worry about my own self, making sure that people know that I'm listening to them. People know that I care about them and people know that I want to continue to deliver for them in the next Parliament, making sure that I get out and about, listen to people, focus on what the issues are of importance to them and delivering on that.
JOURNALIST
You did make a very big promise on Friday about the $20 million for the airport. Have we got any more announcements coming this week or was that your main announcement?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
You’ll just have to wait and see. Watch this space!
JOURNALIST
And just out of curiosity, where did that funding come from, that $20 million?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, that's an election commitment. That's an election promise. And, of course, we will deliver that should we get back into Government, that will be right. And that's an important announcement and important pledge. And that's what the governments do, I'm sure, Labor are out there talking about the funding promises that they'll make. I just hope they match it in the Riverina and I'm hoping that the Labor candidate does just that because it's really important not just to Wagga Wagga but indeed the wider Riverina.
JOURNALIST
They did make a promise this morning to fund some upgrading to Estella Public School, putting in traffic lights and stuff like that to make road safety a little bit better. Have you heard about that promise that Labor made this morning? And if so, is that something you would match?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
There’s been record funding for Wagga Wagga City Council through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure and that will only be extended and expanded upon should the Coalition get back.
Don't ever worry too much about what Labor might or might not promise. A set of traffic lights, yes, it's important and Estella Public School, It's brand new school, I've been out there a number of times. It's so important that we have the right traffic in and around, conditions in and around, for the safety of those schoolchildren. Of course, it's a growing suburb and we want to make sure that it has every opportunity to continue to grow.
JOURNALIST
And where are you campaigning this week?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, I'm going right across the electorate. There won't be an area I don't cover. I'm going to Lockhart and Coolamon today. Looking forward to going to Cowra, West Wyalong, Forbes, Parkes, Grenfell, you name it, I'll be there. Gundagai, Cootamundra, looking very much forward to it and of course in and around Wagga Wagga. But I do that all the time anyway. I don't take any vote for granted, I don't take any voter for granted, I just make sure that I get in and continue to deliver for the people of the Riverina.
JOURNALIST
Anything else?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
No, I think that’ll do, thanks Sam (Costin, journalist), thanks Mick (Patterson, cameraman).
ENDS 9.35am