TRANSCRIPT: FLOW FM INTERVIEW WITH RIKKI LAMBERT
SUBJECTS: COST OF LIVING PRESSURE, MINING, RIVERINA SPORT
E&OE
STARTS: 8:30AM
RIKKI LAMBERT:
Michael McCormack is the Member for Riverina. Michael, we have got quite a number of topics to cover, but an absolute tragedy that's occurred just before Easter. Out down near Yanco.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
It is a little town not far from Leeton and the Mayor of Leeton Shire, Tony Reneker, summed up everyone's feelings about it this morning when he said the town is awakening in despair at the fact that a woman and three young boys just aged 10, 11 and 12, have been killed overnight in an accident at Yanco. A car has hit a pole and ended up upside down in a canal and all four have been killed in that crash and it's just an awful start to Easter. It just reminds us, again, of just how fragile life can be.
RIKKI LAMBERT:
And also a reminder, I mean, we don't know the circumstances of that crash, of just how we want everyone to just try and slow down a bit, not try anything silly on the roads. Pay attention and not look at your phone and make sure you, you know, get to where you want to get to safely.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, indeed, we don't know any of the circumstances, but it is a grim reminder. And of course, the roads are in a bit of a state after the wet weather that we had last winter. And there's a lot of potholes. There is a need to obviously fix those potholes. But as we lead into Easter, a lot of people are on the roads, and we want everybody to arrive where they need to be safe and sound. And we mourn for those victims, and we mourn for the communities of Leeton and Yanko because they are great communities. I know them well. And it's just so, so sad.
RIKKI LAMBERT:
It certainly is Michael, just have to move on to some other topics. The Reserve Bank of Australia this week paused; I think it was 10 consecutive rate increases. They're going to well, take stock I gather, after hammering the economy for a while.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, the official interest rates have risen 3 ½ per cent since the pandemic low of 0.1%, but they still sit at 3.6%. It's hard for people and I understand the people who are paying back mortgages. It's not only the house they're paying off, it's the grocery bills, it's the fuel, it's everything else that’s costing so much more. And it leads in, of course, to the 9 May Budget and what the Government is going to do to provide some relief for very, very stressed households.
RIKKI LAMBERT:
And I know that it's often mentioned, but mentioning again, the Government did promise come to the election that there would be a reduction of about $275 in power bills. They're going in the opposite direction. Are you going to be looking for relief on power, amongst other cost of living pressures?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, absolutely. And we have to hold the Prime Minister to account for that. He said 97 times before the May Election last year that power prices would be reduced by $275 under his government. Now, you can't keep putting asterisks on that afterwards and say, oh yes, but it comes with this disclaimer or that condition. That's what they said. That's what people voted them in to do. And, unfortunately, we haven't seen it. So, you know, he's duped the public in that regard. Power prices actually came down under the Coalition, but they're going up, unfortunately, under Labor. And people are really hurting as a consequence. It's not just, of course, it's not just households. It's businesses and small businesses around this country. And they're doing it tough at the moment.
RIKKI LAMBERT:
And Michael, I did pick up when you were in Canberra the last fortnight, you talked about the mining industry. I was at a mining conference recently and they were talking about how the renewable energy transition is going to result in more mining, not less. What is some of the activity that is happening in your electorate. How important is mining in the local sector?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Mining is hugely important. I mean, everybody has a mobile phone these days and of course, most of the componentry of that mobile phone comes from, you know, under the ground where mining is so, so important. Now, of course, we've got a couple of big gold mines in my electorate. Of course, we've got North Parkes and we've got the West Wyalong Lake Cowal Mine, which has been operating for many years, very, very successfully. But we obviously also need to as we do, as we do, move into more renewables. We need to look at what we can do as far as coal, what we can do as far as gas because we need to keep the energy going, we need to keep the lights turned on. And I appreciate that we are moving into renewables and that is a good thing and process to do as we work towards net zero. But I tell you what, we can't do it at the expense of not having power. We can't do it at the expense as we move into what's going to be a pretty cold winter, not be able to afford to turn the heaters on. So, you know, we can't rush to this. And what the Greens have done with the dirty, dodgy deal with Labor is they've put a stop to any new gas and coal projects and that's going to cause a lot of heartache overseas because we export a lot of our energy to those countries who are otherwise burning well, in India, cow pats and tyres to keep themselves warm. How is that fair? How is that right? And what we're actually doing really in one sense is exporting our emissions. So, you know, I don't understand it. There's this deal that the Greens have done. It's a carbon tax by stealth. But that's the situation we're in and we'll work to keep this Government to account always.
RIKKI LAMBERT:
Which seems ironic to me. In Germany, you've got a coal mine that needs to expand because they know they need to keep the lights on during their winter and the heating on as well. And they've had to remove a local wind farm to expand the mine.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Well, they have also got a lot of nuclear right throughout Europe. And that's a conversation I think this country needs to have as well.
RIKKI LAMBERT:
And Michael, I know Easter is very much in the forefront of our minds, but ANZAC DAY is coming up as well. The local commemorations. What are you anticipating there?
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
A lot of people at services on the 25th of April, as they should be, my ANZAC DAY booklet, which is hitting mailboxes as we speak, has all the details, all the service times right throughout your listening area. As far as the Riverina's concerned, and a great little story about Kenneth George Wolkenhaar who gave his life as a trainee pilot down near Mildura. He was one of 927, would you believe, who died training. So, they weren't fighting sorties over, you know, the Battle of Britain and over the Pacific in World War Two. They actually died trying to do that. And such a sad situation. We just don't realise how many sacrificed their lives so that we could enjoy the freedoms we do today. And, of course, we commemorate those, and we honour everyone who's ever pulled on a uniform and certainly those in deployments today on the 25th of April. But we should say, Lest We Forget every day.
RIKKI LAMBERT:
Absolutely. Now, Michael, there is always a bit of chatter around the Flow studios. You might become our footy correspondent locally one day.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
I’d be happy to do that.
RIKKI LAMBERT:
We'll hold you to that. Just tell us a bit about the anticipation of the local footy season.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Well, we're looking forward to the main season and already the Farrer League has begun, and Hume League of course is going to be a great competition. But let's put a bit of focus on the girls and so the girls' grand final is on tomorrow night. That's Thursday night. Maher Oval and we've seen Ganmain-Grong-Grong-Matong, the premiers up against Coolamon Rovers, the Hoppers. They were also undefeated, both teams undefeated, but a shout out to the Brookdale Bluebells there. They’re a bunch of girls from Lockhart and Osborne, Samantha Creasy, Kim Crowther, Ruby Dein, Ava Burkinshaw Eliza Wooden. She kicked a couple of goals in the semi-final. They got beaten by East Wagga-Kooringal. They always give a good account of themselves the Brookdale Bluebells and good on them. They'll get there one day. But all roads lead to Maher Oval on Thursday night for the grand final. It's going to be a great game and free entry. They’ll take a bit of a gold coin donation for health research, but let me tell you, it's going to be a cracking good game and I can't wait for it.
RIKKI LAMBERT:
Yes. And I must mention as well, the women's netball is going to be getting under way, or it already is I imagine.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
That is part and parcel of the Aussie rules round here and of course League tag with the Rugby League. So, it really is a family community occasion, our local footy on the weekend these days and, as it should be, and you know with so many cost of living and other pressures on everybody, it's good to actually get a bit of sport on the weekend and forget about those, those other worries, those economic woes. It’s good to get out and have a bit of sport and it brings and binds communities together.
RIKKI LAMBERT:
Good on you, Michael. I'm sure you'll be out there cheering teams along. Thanks for joining us here on FLOW FM.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Good on you Riki, thanks very much.