TRANSCRIPT: INTERVIEW Prime 7 Interview with Emily Francis, 14 March 2025
Subjects: Barbara Parnell
E&OE
STARTS: 10:13am
EMILY FRANCIS
So, yes, a bit of a statement about Barbara Parnell.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well today, we say farewell to the matriarch of the National Party locally, but a very, very fine woman. Born in 1926, not far from here is Dr Jago’s Pete Street Private Hospital, to be laid to rest in the Holbrook community which she gave so much to. Not just Holbrook but to Mangoplah, to Cookardinia and all those districts south of Wagga Wagga. She was such a worker, such a doer, a family woman, she had six children, her and her late husband Jim and they were just such great community minded people. A life member of the Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes Goannas Football and Netball Club. She was a member of the Country Woman’s Association for 67 years, and for the same time she was a member of the Country National Party and she gave so much to our party. She always turned up to branch meetings. She always had a say. She nominated me the very first time I stood for Parliament and nominated me every time since and I was very proud of Barb Parnell, I loved her as so many people did. She was a wonderful, wonderful woman. We give thanks for her nearly 99 years of service to our communities.
EMILY FRANCIS
Absolutely a matriarch, as you said and joining the Country National Party at such a early age, I can imagine it would have been a different time back then. So I can imagine she would have been a very strong woman, too.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Oh, she was a strong woman. She was very opinionated. She didn’t mind telling you what she thought, but, you know, she was strong, she was wise. Every time Barbara Parnell spoke, everybody hushed and listened, and she was always right. She was always right and, she’s didn’t mind ringing you up and telling you what she thought about policy, what she thought about legislation, and she was always kind to us, had a generous heart. She was such a good person.
EMILY FRANCIS
Is it fair to say that she shaped the not only the Riverina, but the whole of New South Wales National Party to where it is now?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Oh, absolutely. I mean, she was one of those people who was, from a bygone era, but she was able to modernise as well. She was a marriage celebrant. She buried people as a civil celebrant and so many people relied on her for that in the community just for that. I mean, she had, a finger in so many pies. She was such a doer. I mean, I don’t know how she found the time to do everything. Raise six children. She turned up for the footy. She turned up at the National Party meetings. She turned up at CWA. If there was a fire on, she’d be making sure that the people who were putting out the fire were well fed and watered. I mean, that was the sort of person Barb Parnell was and the communities of Mangoplah and Cookardinia in particular will sorely miss her. But she gave so much to this city as well. She was a person who had lived in Wagga Wagga for some years. She loved this community. She loved farming life. She just loved people and she gave so much back. She was selfless. She gave for others. She lived her life so that others could know all of the joys that she brought to community living.
EMILY FRANCIS
Beautiful thanks Michael.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Thank you very much.
ENDS: 10:16am