TRANSCRIPT: Doorstop Press Gallery, Parliament House Canberra

Subjects: Steve Martin joining The Nationals; Barnaby Joyce

E&OE

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Well, fantastic that Steve Martin has joined the National Party. This gives Tasmanians another voice in Government. This gives Tasmanians, particular regional Australians, somebody to whom they can go to with their issues to make sure that they are aired around the National Party party room.

This is a fantastic outcome for regional Tasmanians, a fantastic outcome for regional Australians. This gives Tasmanians another voice in the Government, and how important is that? And look, the fact is Steve Martin is a very, very good Member of Parliament. He’s shown already that he’s going to make a difference, but he understands small business, as does the Government. He understands just how important it is to work collaboratively with Local, State and Federal government. He was the Mayor of Devonport for seven years and I know my Deputy Leader Bridget McKenzie made the comment yesterday where after she was talking to a taxi driver who told her what a difference he’d made when he became Mayor of Devonport, what a difference Tasmania is making since Will Hodgman took over as Premier.

And certainly, we are very delighted in the National Party that we’ve added another State. We’ve added another State to our family. Of course, we’re very representative right across Australia, but to have another voice from another State in our party means such a difference, particularly as Steve Martin is the first representative, the first federal representative for the Country Party – for the National Party – since the 1920s is a fantastic outcome for us, and for Tasmania.

QUESTION:

Mr McCormack, what do you make about your colleague Darren Chester who thinks that there should be a debate in Parliament… there needs to be a debate at least in the party room to discuss how to move forward from the Barnaby Joyce $150,000 interview saga? He says that politicians should be exempt from getting this sort of money while in office.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Well, that’s what the party room, and that’s what the Parliament is for. It’s for robust discussion about the things that Australians are talking about, the things that Australians expect of their politicians. So that’s what the party room is for, and if that discussion is raised in the party room, then I’m sure we’ll have it in a robust way.

QUESTION:

What’s your opinion on it? Do you think the public expect their politicians to accept $150,000 for an interview?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Well I’ve got to say, when I went out and about on the weekend and I attended many functions in the Riverina and the Central West, and the story had already broken, nobody raised it with me. In fact, nobody has raised it with me apart from here in Parliament House.

QUESTION:

So you don’t think Australians care that an elected representative accepts $150,000 for an interview?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Well, look, at the end of the day, that was a decision that Barnaby and Vikki made. That’s a personal decision for them. Myself, I wouldn’t have done it.

But you know, that’s a decision that Barnaby has taken and he struck a TV deal with the network. Fact is, end of the day, I say again, it’s a personal decision he’s made. I wouldn’t have done it, but we have to be accountable to the people we serve.

And at the end of the day, the court of public opinion will decide whether or not they think that’s a good idea. And whether it passes the pub test, I suppose, that’s a matter for the people in New England to decide.

QUESTION:

But do you think that Darren Chester has a point, that there needs to be some sort of blanket policy for all politicians not to be able to do these sort of deals while in office?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Well again, I say that that will be a matter that obviously if Darren wishes to raise in the party room, we’ll discuss it in the party room. But I can see where Darren is coming from. I understand that a lot of people are a bit concerned, the fact that there is a money outlay there for a story.

At the end of the day, I say again, it’s a personal matter for Barnaby and what I’m concentrating on is making sure that we sell the Budget. What I’m concentrating on is making sure that what has been and what is a very, very good budget is being sold to regional Australians in as much as the advantages for regional Australians are many.

Whether it’s infrastructure, whether it’s jobs, whether it’s better outcomes for education, more drugs on the PBS, they’re the sorts of things that I know Australians want to hear about. They’re the sorts of things that Australians are talking to me about, not the Barnaby Joyce story.

QUESTION:

On the issue of Steve Martin, there are reports that the Tasmanian Liberals won’t be giving up a spot on their Senate ticket at the next election to allow him to run with them and improve his chances of being re-elected. Does that mean that he’s effectively being left by the roadside at the next election?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

He will be judged on his own merits. But the tickets going to an election, how-to-vote cards and all the rest, preference deals, are a matter for the party organisation and the National Party are very much a state-based organisation. I know the Liberal Party decide these also … generally on a state by state basis, so we’ll leave that up to the Tasmanian organisations to work out.

QUESTION:

Do you think there needs to be a joint ticket, or at least those discussions between the Tasmanian Nationals and the Tasmanian Libs to get a joint ticket?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

I’m sure the parties will have a good and robust discussion about that in the months ahead and hopefully the election will be a good 12 months away so that we can continue to outline to Australians the benefits of the Budget.

That’s what we’re concentrating on, that’s what we’re focused on. It’s a very good budget whether it’s infrastructure, whether it’s more drugs on the PBS, whether it’s more jobs for more Australians. They’re the sorts of things I’m concentrating on. We’ll leave those matters for the party organisation.

QUESTION:

But surely you must be angry that your predecessor is causing this destruction with this TV interview which will go to air this weekend?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Well look, I’m busy on Sunday night so I won’t even be watching it. If it’s on iview I might catch up with it later, but at the end of the day, I’m focused…

QUESTION:

7plus.

[Laughter]

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

[Laughter]

You just want to plug your program!

I’m focused on making sure that regional Australia’s best interests are served. That’s what I think that regional Australians would want me to be talking about. They would want me to be talking about jobs, infrastructure, more drugs on the PBS, more outcomes for their families, for their kids, and putting downward pressure on the cost of living.

QUESTION:

What do you make of Jacqui Lambie’s criticism that The Nats have had three or so attempts at trying to set up a base in Tasmania and they’ve failed every time, and this is going to be another example of that?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Well look, at the end of the day, that’s what you would expect Jacqui Lambie to say.

The fact is Steve Martin’s in Parliament. The fact is he’s now another voice for Tasmanians in the Government. The fact is he can have influence on Ministers to get better outcomes for Tasmanians.

The fact is he can have a vote in a Coalition Government to get better outcomes, more infrastructure, more things for Tasmanians. Jacqui Lambie cannot.

People have been writing off the National Party ever since we’ve started. We’re still going strong 100 years on, we’ll continue to go strong because we’ll continue to deliver for regional Australians.

QUESTION:

There’s a pretty poor track record, though, for The Nats in Tasmania, that you keep disappearing.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Well they disappeared in the 1920s, we’re back. We’re back, look out! And we’re going to be making sure that Steve Martin – along with the rest of the National Party team deliver – just like the regional Liberals have, for Tasmanians going forward.

Thanks guys, have a great day.

Shane Manning