TRANSCRIPT: RADIO INTERVIEW WITH FLOW FM’S ELLIS GELIOS – 10 JULY 2024

Subject: Labor’s attack on farmers, Harvest Trail Services Axed, Hume League Football

E&OE

STARTS 1.26PM

ENDS: 1.37PM

ELLIS GELIOS

Welcome back, you're listening to the Country Viewpoint program here on your Colour of Country Life, Flow FM. The Federal Member for Riverina, Michael McCormack, joins me now. He’s been on Flow FM plenty of times in the past. He’s joining me to talk about Labor axing a farmworker support and networking program; and its certainly caused a stir. Michael, hello to you. How are you?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Look I'm really good, but I'm really frustrated at the same time, Ellis, because once again we've seen this anti-agriculture Government take a swathe to farming programs, farming initiatives. We saw how they changed the Pacific Australia Labor Mobility Scheme and then, kicking and screaming, finally were dragged back to the table and put it in a more, well, in a better way that was going to be beneficial to our farmers. They were going to actually be having farmers pay 30 hours minimum a week. And we know that farm work is seasonal. We know that when the weather is adverse that there's not always 30 hours a week for any workers, let alone workers from overseas and why should farmers then have to stump up and pay for people not being able to work? And so, they're now spreading it over a four-week period, but they're only doing it for 12 months. So, you know, and that's already lost 10% across the board, as far as farmers using the PALM Scheme, but it also has lost 10% of the workers, so it was a real hit. Then, of course, we had the biosecurity tax, where farmers were going to be expected to meet the cost of paying for overseas products coming in — their biosecurity measures — which was just ridiculous. We've had the truckie tax, we've had the fresh food tax, we've had so many areas where Labor — now wanting to ban live sheep, which is going to have an impact on eastern markets and then we get this. So, what they're doing is they're axing the Harvest Trail Services and Harvest Trail Information Service, which, importantly, links prospective farm workers with farmers looking for employees. And it was a good support networking program. It's going to be a saving for Labor of $50 million. But, I mean, what price do you put on fruit being picked, on crops being harvested, on animals getting the best treatment that they need for farmers to be able to have them ready to go to market. I mean, what price do you put on that? It's just another unnecessary, cruel and low blow to farmers. Thankfully, one thing that Labor can't control is the weather and we've had good rains across the region in recent days, but this is just an unnecessary hit to our farming sector which has already been whacked enough by this anti-agriculture Government.

ELLIS GELIOS

Well, we've heard plenty in the last few weeks about things like rising input costs and the lack of rain being front of mind for agricultural workers and farmers in many parts of the country. But as for labour issues and workforce shortages, that issue hasn't really been getting a whole lot of their time in more recent times, so just tell us for those in the Central West and the Riverina; obviously a massive issue to ensure that there's people that can work on site at the moment.

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Indeed and yes — input costs are rising, energy costs are rising. You'd be quite correct in saying what you've just said there, but Labor has now ceased the Harvest Trail Services and Harvest Trail Information Service from the 30th of June. That's probably why it hasn't had a lot of traction. It was part of the Budget but got mixed in all the — there's a lot to unpack in the budget — a lot of whacks to regional Australia in the budget which were hard to all unpack at one time. This just goes to show Labor's apathy towards regional communities and farming communities in particular. These networks, these programs, linked farm workers with farmers. It was a good program, it was working — that's why it was put into place and now it's been taken away. Why? Well, Labor won't give you the answers to that. It's just another penny-pinching exercise on behalf of them. Another whack to regional Australia. Unnecessary. Not good enough. And our farmers are always looking to the skies for the for the right weather. They've been a bit worried lately because it hasn't rained — well fortunately that has rectified itself, but with everything else going on with the Federal Government doing what they are doing to our farmers — it's just not good enough — and our farmers are hurting. They're price takers, they're not price makers. They can only get so much for their products as what is dictated to them and this is just an unnecessary impost on them.

ELLIS GELIOS

How much has the region in the Riverina there relied on overseas workers, ballpark roughly?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

I wouldn't like to put a figure on it, I wouldn't like to put a number on it, but we know that how reliant they are, our farmers — regionally — on overseas workers. We saw that during COVID. We saw that — and I know, when I was the Deputy Prime Minister during COVID, how we extended programs and initiatives to help Pacific Islanders and others, to backpackers, to endeavour to stay in the country longer, but it was a difficult time. And it's hard to even think now, and it's not that long ago, but how tough it was for our farmers in particular. It was hard on everybody being locked down in their Local Government Areas and while we well remember it, we don't want to go back there. But we did find from COVID just how much we relied on overseas workers. And I tell you what, since the worst of COVID, I mean we're not out of the woods yet, people are still getting COVID, my daughter and her husband have got it at the moment, but, indeed, you look at how much we rely on overseas workers and not just in the farming sector but right across in the hospitality sector, in health, in aged care, child care, education, I mean right across the board we rely very much on people who aren't necessarily Australian citizens coming in, taking those opportunities up. It works well for everybody and we need to have the right people in the right places at the right time to continue that. I fear that what we're doing with migration at the moment is just placing unnecessary strain on our housing sector and on inflation generally. I mean, we took in more than a 100,000 people in both January and February and it wasn't just a 100; it was 110 and then it was 125. The numbers are going up and up and up. I mean, that we're taking in on a monthly basis now what the Howard-era Government did on a yearly basis and so that just goes to show how many migrants we are taking in. And the trouble is they're not coming out to the regions, they're staying in the western suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne and this isn't good for society. It's not good for the housing market and something's got to give eventually and, unfortunately, it comes at the cost of everyone.

ELLIS GELIOS

Well, we certainly hope that COVID leaves your household sooner rather than later.

MICHAEL McCORMACK

It's not my household; she lives in Melbourne but I do hope she gets better, yes.

ELLIS GELIOS

For sure, I dare say a topic that everyone will be more happy to speak about is the football, locally, Michael. So, let's go to that — and the fixtures for this week, starting with Henty and the Billabong Crows, who do you like in that one?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, this is a this is an important game for Henty because they are six and six and they really need to win this game to stay in touch. They're eight points out of the five, I think Henty will get across the line here, but if they don't well it's curtains for them. It's season over probably.

ELLIS GELIOS

Two big guns this year, Osborne and CDHBU, CDHBU coming off a big win — who do you like there?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well Osborne's only lost one game, they are, as always, the yardstick of the Hume League and I think they'll have enough in store to win that.

ELLIS GELIOS

Jindera got a bit of a trouncing last time out, they’ll be hoping to bounce back this time against Howlong. Holbrook did a number on them last time out. Can they bounce back?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Well, Holbrook is going very well. Luke Gestier, former Collingullie Premiership Coach, is leading the goal kicking, he has 44 goals. I see Trent Castles is only one behind him, now Trent, of course, did some great things for Mangoplah, but I think Holbrook will get home.

ELLIS GELIOS

Alright, Lockhart — Culcairn. Culcairn struggling quite a bit in 2024, aren’t they?

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Yeah, Lockhart will win that. Yeah, no question.

ELLIS GELIOS

And we’ve got Rand-Walbundrie-Walla, the Giants, up against the Murray Magpies. I assume the home side will have the favourite tag there.

MICHAEL McCORMACK

It's a long name, Rand-Walbundrie-Walla, Walla Walla. The Giants will win that.

ELLIS GELIOS

Yes indeed, and then Holbrook, they should take care of Brock/Burrumbuttock away from home to round things out in the weekend’s game.

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Indeed, and it should be. Look it's a good competition. The fact that Osborne are out in front and they are a win clear of Holbrook, CDHBU are not far behind, Jindera then Rand, of course, making up the five. It's a good competition and we know with the Hume League it wasn't that long ago that Osborne went through undefeated and Holbrook knocked them off in the last quarter of the Grand Final. There's always great rivalry between those two clubs, particularly, in recent years and just because Osborne are striding out in front at the moment doesn't mean to say they've got the flag wrapped up. It's a good competition. The thing I love about the Hume Football Netball League — it's a family competition and those days where they get the seniors, the juniors, the men, the women all together. And you know and what happens on the court and on the field stays, generally, there. They all get together after the game and have a beer and have a drink, have a have a sausage sizzle — it's a great, great family atmosphere and that's the best thing about Hume Football Netball League. It's a real family atmosphere. It should be replicated right across the nation and indeed I know that country footy is great, but they do it best I think in the Hume League.

ELLIS GELIOS

There we have it. Well, we're certainly seeing the praises of the level of the competition from outside of the border as well as is everyone here at Flow FM. Federal Member for the Riverina  Michael McCormack thank you so much for your time. Good luck with everything.

MICHAEL McCORMACK

No worries at all. We'll talk again soon, look forward to it.