TRANSCRIPT: INTERVIEW WITH JOHN DASKEY AT 2PK PARKES, 13 DECEMBER 2023
Subjects: MYEFO Budget, Murray Darling Basin Legislation, Christmas in My Backyard Drawing Competition
E&OE
STARTS: 8:10am
ENDS: 8:15am
JOHN DASKEY:
It is a Wednesday morning, and we certainly hope that you are very well, we have a special guest joining us in the studio. It is Michael McCormack.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Hello John, it is Wednesday, and it is the middle of the week it is the Mid-Year-Economic -Fiscal-Outlook today, the MYEFO.
JOHN DASKEY:
Tell us all about it.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
That is where the Government does a recalibration of what they are doing and where they are spending. They have a Budget in May, and they have a MYEFO a Mid-Year-Economic-Fiscal-Outlook in December. It just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? It is just about having a look at where they are spending, having a look at where they need to reign in and having a look at where they need to spend more. Of course, there have been some interesting decisions, the Treasurer, Dr Jim Chalmers, became the first Treasurer in 25 years in May not to use the word infrastructure once. As I drive into Parkes, I love to see the bypass, I love seeing the main street upgrade, I love seeing all the infrastructure that we put in place when we were in Government.
JOHN DASKEY:
… can’t use that word.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Well, I am going to, Infrastructure, Infrastructure. It is necessary, it is required, it builds community capacity, and it makes these towns in Central Western New South Wales and other regional towns in Australia more liveable and more loveable.
JOHN DASKEY:
Absolutely, and of course, the more liveability and lovability of communities are just getting bigger and better now. Government is always getting criticised for not spending the money in the right place, also too much of what we do is now done overseas. Where is that all going, Michael?
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Well, we have got a Government that says when it is actually sending things overseas, when we are banking on the things we send overseas, they refuse to use the words coal and iron ore and agriculture sometimes. Those are the things which are helping this nation prosper at the moment. And look, yeah, I know times are tough, but overall, the economy is still being managed thanks to the policies that we put in place when we were in Government. We are in surplus for the first time in a long time. Now that is all well and good, but it is not all well and good for people trying to pay the grocery bills. And what really annoys me is that this new Murray Darling Basin Legislation that was introduced, which is going to see the Government buy more water out of the system, more productive water, and send it down the mouth of the Murray down to South Australia — that is going to mean less Australian food grown in places such as this and certainly in place such as the Southern Riverina, the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area and that will mean more imported food and more expensive grocery bills. That is not good policy when you take 450 gigalitres out of the system and just send it down the river. Now, I know we need healthy rivers, we need healthy environments, I get all that – but you don’t do it at the expense of our farmers.
JOHN DASKEY:
Do we need to start having a good hard look at those running the show, Michael? Obviously, you and your colleagues are constantly in their ears but it’s just not going through the keeper.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Well, we will have another election in 2025 between March and May, I would say that is when it is due, who knows we might even go back to the polls next year. You just never know in the Federal Government because we don’t have set, fixed, terms. I know New South Wales and elsewhere have 4-year fixed terms – we do not. We go to the polls every two and a half to three years. People get a little bit tired of electioneering and sometimes even politicians do, dare I say. But I’ve got good news today, the reason why I am in the area.
JOHN DASKEY:
That was my next question.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Indeed, and I have brought you the very first Christmas card off the press, it is the Christmas in My Backyard Drawing Competition, which attracted hundreds upon hundreds of entries. Edith Cannon, just seven years old, Year two at St Joey’s Parish School at Peak Hill has just won the competition against all of those other kids.
JOHN DASKEY:
Well done.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
She receives a lovely little book prize and the recognition of her winning entry, which has got a koala on the front, its got have a “koala-ty Christmas” which is very, very natty. And we’ve have got a runner-up from Cowra and a third place from Grenfell, so this area did very well, this region, your listening area, did very well in this competition. So, there is your Christmas card John, first cab of the rank.
JOHN DASKEY:
Well look at that, we will get a photo of you handing that to me in a moment or two for publicity purposes. A Christmas message from you Michael before we let you go?
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Water safety. Let’s let all of us be water-wise this Christmas, this holiday period. Already in the summer months of 2023, so that includes January, February earlier this year and of course the first bit of December, 53 people have drowned in Australian waters. That is 53 too many, that’s 53 tragedies, 53 empty seats this Christmas. So, let’s not let it be 54, let’s everybody, when they are around rivers and creeks and swimming pools, take care. Kids, make sure there is an adult close by, make sure mum and dad know where you are and please be safe. Of course, on the roads too, let’s everybody enjoy Christmas. It has been a tough year for many, many people, cost of living etcetera, etcetera. But we live in the best country on earth, we live in the best region on earth, so let’s have a good Christmas, let’s all get together and remember the reason for the season and let’s have a good one.
JOHN DASKEY:
Michael, thank you for your time with us on the program today.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Always a pleasure, John.