E&OE
Subjects: Water Infrastructure, Coronavirus, Plastic Recycling;
PETER GLEESON:
Water storage is at an all time low across our Eastern states, the worst in decades. It’s a horrific summer that has left water access and levels dismal. States have been sharing dams just to get residents by, authorities have also warned the downward storages over the past few years reflect an increase in population and less water entering the reservoirs due to longer, dryer periods, higher temperatures and reduced street close. This problem must be addressed before another extreme weather event hits us unprepared. And joining me now with more on this topic is the man who intends to be known as the National’s Leader who builds dams, of course I refer to Deputy PM, Michael McCormack, who joins us in Canberra. Michael what can we do, to ensure that we in many ways, proof this country, waterproof this country against the problems we’ve got at the moment with drought?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well build more dams, that would be a great start Peter and I know that the Scottsdale Dam in north east Tasmania is just about to come online in coming weeks, is going to do just that. It’s not a big water storage holding but I tell you what, it’s going to make such a difference for the agriculture, for the water security needs of that small the community in Tasmania. And Emu Swamp Dam, it’s due to start work this year, 12,000 megalitres, again not a huge holding but the Federal Government’s put up $42 million dollars for that particular project. Another $5 million dollars for enabling roads, the local irrigators themselves have backed themselves to the tune of $24 million dollars. So, when you’ve got irrigators like that, when you’ve got farmers, when you’ve got community willing to back themselves and put their own money up, stump their own hard cash up, to support, to take the risk, to make sure that something’s going to work in the Federal Government, indeed State Governments need to also get on board. We’ve got $3.5 billion dollars under the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund in grants and loans, we want to get it out the door, we’ve got the willingness, we’ve had the drought and it’s ongoing. If not now, then never. We really have the impetus. I used to go around and talk to capital city business forums back when I first got into parliament about my infrastructure, my water vision and the eyes would just glaze over. These days all you get … I was in Brisbane just the other day, all I received was nods and claps when I’d finished because people get it. They now understand we need to future drought-proof our nation. We’re going to do that and we’re going to do it by building more dams.
PETER GLEESON:
Michael, your colleague here in Brisbane, Deb Frecklington has announced the Bradfield Scheme Stage 2.0. It’s a multi-billion dollar project. Then obviously, it dovetails beautifully into what you just said. How important is for example a Bradfield Scheme type of project in this state here in Queensland?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well it’s visionary and it’s blue sky stuff, so what we need to do is have a vision, have a plan. Deb Frecklington has that plan. We need to make sure that we invest in Urannah, in Macalister, in Hughenden. Indeed in Rookwood – $160 million dollars that we’ve put on the table, not just to grow agriculture but also to mitigate against flood for Rockhampton and the areas around there. You know Big Rocks, Hells Gates, they’re all water projects that are going to make such a difference. So when you talk to people like the Flinder’s Shire Mayor, Jane McNamara, she understands just what a difference the Hughenden Irrigation proposal would be. They’ve already got table grape grower from Mildura interested in relocating or indeed expanding their operations into North Queensland. We’ve got George Christensen lobbing for Urannah Dam. We’ve got other members of parliament up there, I know Ken O’Dowd is a big supporter of Rookwood as is Michelle Landry. They get it, they understand it. Phillip Thompson, you know I talk to him about water infrastructure all the time, the Member for Herbert. They get it and I tell you what, so do people in the capital cities now, they know we need to build more water infrastructure, we’ve got $3.5 billion dollars on the table. Last October I established the National Water Grid, to get the best available science, to get even local people with that input, to make sure that we get on and build more dams.
PETER GLEESON:
This coronavirus stuff is getting a little bit scary, the travel ban now applies to obviously China and Iran. What’s the latest on that Deputy PM because there are calls for other countries including for example, Italy to be included in that?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
And look, obviously our condolences and sympathies go out to the Perth family, the first death, the first Australian death from this outbreak and our thoughts are with that family. Yes, it is a crisis, but we are dealing with it. People, what they shouldn’t do, is panic. What they shouldn’t do is make a run on all the toilet paper and dog food and the like that we have seen just in the last 24 hours. We need to stay calm. We need to take the advice of the Chief Medical Officer Dr Brendan Murphy. What we have been doing, as a responsible Government would, yes, public health and safety is our first order of concern and I know the Minister Greg Hunt, indeed the Prime Minister Scott Morrison have been making sure that we have got the right and responsible response.
PETER GLEESON:
Michael we just saw today the Prime Minister’s announcement on plastics and recycling and he has basically said that it would grow green jobs. How important is that as far as, you know, the national landscape is concerned when it comes to this sort of thing?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, when only 12% of what you’re putting in yellow bin to go out every fortnight, as in my case in Wagga Wagga or indeed in other parts perhaps even more regularly, when only 12% of that can actually be, or can actually being recycled then we’ve got a problem in this nation. We can create thousands of jobs, and indeed we will, by recycling more plastic. Take the example of Ben Tabulo who works for the Northern Oil Refinery in Gladstone, in Ken O’Dowd’s electorate. Tim Rose started that in Wagga Wagga, he has moved that to Gladstone, he is now looking at another regional centre in Queensland to make sure that we can convert plastic into biodiesel. And there are of course, there are other inventive and innovative people in Australia who can generate products from plastic. Indeed, the Australian Road Research Bureau, they’re making sure that, that board is making sure that we can convert plastics into road material. Asphalt and alike, so you know, they’re getting on. The ARRB, through Michael Caltabiano and his group are making sure that they can convert plastics into materials that are usable in everyday life. There are so many opportunities when you’ve got floating plastics in the Pacific twice the size of New South Wales, we’ve got a problem, Scott Morrison has a plan to address it. I know the Minister Sussan Ley, the Environment Minister and I have been chatting today about what we can do, particularly for regional Australia, through people such as Michael Caltabiano, through people such as Tim Rose, making sure we can convert that plastic into everyday material and create jobs.
PETER GLEESON:
Look, at the top of the show, Michael, I did sort of have a bit of a crack at Jacinda Ardern, I thought she was working a little bit hot last week when she had a crack at Scott Morrison about our deportation policy in respect to New Zealand criminals. What were your thoughts on that because I know the Prime Minister, he gave it a pretty straight bat to any questions in relation to that, but I think most Australians think that if a New Zealander commits a crime in Australia, that they, particularly a serious crime, that they should be deported back to their home country, shouldn’t they?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, that is our position. That is the Government’s position. Once they serve their time, if they’re a foreigner and they commit a crime in Australia, once you’ve done your time you shouldn’t, you don’t belong in this country and you should be sent back from where you came. And that is the government’s position. Scott Morrison was very statesman like the other day, but we also need to recall too that New Zealand has been very good to us over the Summer, sending fire-fighters over here in our crisis. And I appreciate that we do need to be mindful of those things. We don’t want an unholy war across the ditch with our New Zealand friends, they’ve been very good to us over many years. Yes, this is an issue, yes, we are sorting it out and yes, you’re right, if you are a New Zealander in Australia and you commit a crime, well once you’ve done your time you should be shipped back over the Tasman and back to New Zealand.
PETER GLEESON:
Michael McCormack, you’ve been very visible over the past couple of weeks. I saw you here in Brisbane last Friday, you’ve been tripping around and talking to a lot of people. You’ve been doing a lot of interviews. Obviously coming off the back of the Barnaby Joyce challenge, has that all simmered down? Everyone is rowing in the right direction now in your party?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Barnaby and I, we’ve got one very common theme and that is to help and make regional Australia the best it can be. We are on the same page as far as that, every single National Party member wants regional Australia to be a better place in which to work, live and invest. That is our goal. That is who we need to be focused on, those people who choose regional Australia. Why wouldn’t anyone not want to live in regional Australia? You can have a big backyard, you can enjoy the peace and tranquility and the freedom, but also, you can earn good money. And regional Australia ain’t broke. I’ve said it over and over and over again, there are good, well-paying jobs in most cases, one hour by plane to go to a big sports event if that’s your bent or if you go to the theatre or whatever. You know, there are easy travel options, regional Australia is a great place to live and work. I’d recommend it to anyone.
PETER GLEESON:
Well Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, we really appreciate your joining us on Sky News across Australia. And we’ve got Barnaby on tomorrow so we will ask him how that is going as well. So we really appreciate your time.