TRANSCRIPT: Interview with MICHAEL BAILEY, 4CC BREAKFAST, GLADSTONE, 4 JUNE 2019

E&OE

Subjects: Emerald Show, State of Origin, local small businesses, drought.

MICHAEL BAILEY:

And right now, we’re going to talk with the Prime Minister of Australia, Michael McCormack.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

[Talks over] Acting Prime Minister, Michael. Good morning.

MICHAEL BAILEY:

[Laughter]

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Not quite Prime Minister yet. I’m sure Scott Morrison will be back in the country next weekend and I’m sure he’ll resume duties and do it as efficiently and productively as he has been since August last year.

MICHAEL BAILEY:

Yeah. But it does sound good, doesn’t it – Prime Minister Michael McCormack?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

[Interrupts] Well, who would’ve ever thought a boy from a little township of Marrar just outside of Wagga Wagga in New South Wales could end up as even Acting Prime Minister so. But look, great to be here in Emerald again with Ken O’Dowd. I’ve made frequent trips to Emerald. I love the area. Moreover, I love the people in this area and looking forward to the 90th annual show tonight. I can remember coming here a couple of years ago for the annual show and won the pig race actually. Kenny’s little piglet only came third and I still rub it into him – the fact that I won the annual pig race at the Emerald Show.

MICHAEL BAILEY:

My god. You know, when you think about it, aren’t these shows just wonderful? Because we’ve got our own Gladstone Show happening this Friday and Saturday. I did suggest to Kenny since you’re the Acting Prime Minister that you may declare Friday a public holiday because we don’t have a public holiday for the local show in town.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Well, not that I want to sort of pass the buck, but that is very much the remit of state governments, declaring public holidays. But maybe Queenslanders would like a public holiday this Thursday to get over the bumps and bruises and adding a few ales after the State of Origin because it’s going to be a cracking good game this Wednesday and I’m not even going to suggest – because I wouldn’t be that bold – that New South Wales might start favourites in this one, but hopefully it‘ll be a great series.

MICHAEL BAILEY:

Excuse me, who’s this man on air?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

[Laughs] I just said that I hope it’s going to be a good series. Look, I’m sure it will. I’m sure it will because, you know, you can never ever think- get too far ahead of yourself when you’re talking State of Origin because Queensland just has that little bit of X-factor, that little bit of passion, that they bring to the series and it’s always a cracker.

And given the fact they’ve won eight of the last nine we won’t get too far ahead of ourselves, will we Michael?

[Laughter]

MICHAEL BAILEY:

No. But isn’t it funny with State of Origin, they keep saying: calm down, Michael. It’s only a game. But as it inches closer and closer and the worst thing about State of Origin, if it goes into golden point, oh my God.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Look, Kevvy Walters said it was more than a game the other day. He said it was war, and that’s how Queenslanders think. I’ve never really seen the passion until I went to Lang Park – well I still call it Lang Park – last year for my very first State of Origin in Queensland, in Brisbane, and my goodness, when the New South Wales team came out, it was just wall-to-wall boos. And when the Queensland team came out, it was almost like being in a cult. The passion in their eyes and their voices was fantastic. So, anyway, may the best team win this series.

MICHAEL BAILEY:

Yeah, absolutely. Now, of course, you’re in Emerald not only just for the show but you’re also meeting and greeting a lot of businesspeople as well along with Kenny O’Dowd.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Yeah. Look, I’m really looking forward to, as Ken said, going to a little engineering company today. And these are the sorts of businesspeople who back themselves and these are the sorts of people who take the risks. They put their own money on the line. Sometimes they take home less pay than their actual workers because they’re investing back into their business, and that’s the people we back with the lowest tax rate that’s been since 1940. They’re the people who we’re backing with the instant asset write-off extended to $30,000. It was $20,000 at the start of the year. I know that businesses were really thankful that Ken O’Dowd was re-elected as the Member for Flynn. And I know, even nationally, the number of people who just come up to me when I was walking down Pitt and William Streets in Sydney the other day – in the heart of Sydney – I didn’t know who they were from a bar of soap, but they knew who I was and they said: well, thank goodness you’ve been returned as the government because our businesses, our livelihoods, depended on it. So, I think Scott Morrison was right when he said the quiet Australians have spoken and now we need to get on with the job. And that’s why I’m in Emerald today, that’s why I’m back in Flynn, getting on with the job. Ken O’Dowd, I know he doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet. He’s all over his very, very large electorate, talking to businesspeople, talking to families, seeing how better he can serve them. That’s what it’s all about – on with the job.

MICHAEL BAILEY:

Yes. Look, the drought has really hit hard. Of course, you’ve been all over Australia. If it wasn’t for the mines, a lot of these companies would be out of business because they’re fixing up the mining gear, aren’t they?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Oh, indeed. And when we speak of the drought, it’s now a Cabinet position. David Littleproud is now, amongst other things, he’s the minister that’s looking after the drought and it’s around the Cabinet table. It’s actually a portfolio in Cabinet. So that’s how much we regard the action and the work we need to do to help these drought-stricken communities. We’ve elevated it to Cabinet so we’ve got a Cabinet Minister there around the Cabinet table and certainly, the Prime Minister made it his first order of business when he went to Quilpie on the first day of the job that he became Prime Minister in August last year. And there’s not a day goes by that we don’t talk, not a day goes by during that conversations he doesn’t bring up the drought and, you know, make sure that he understands, as Prime Minister, what we need to be doing and what we are doing.

MICHAEL BAILEY:

Now, of course, Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack, when you going the Emerald Show, is it the dagwood dog or the steak burger that takes your eye?

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

No, steak burger every time. Yeah, no, steak burger. I mean, I appreciate that dagwood dogs are a bit of a favourite at the show but I’m a bit of a steak sandwich man. You don’t get better steaks in and around regional Queensland and I hope the New South Wales people aren’t listening. We produce good lamb down there and good beef too but when you come to Queensland, you just got to have a steak smothered with onions and tomato sauce.

MICHAEL BAILEY:

[Laughs] That’s the way to go. I know you and Kenny are very busy. Thanks very much for taking the time to speak to us…

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

Any time.

MICHAEL BAILEY:

…and I’ll just end on this conversation by saying: Michael McCormack, of course Acting Prime Minister, Queensland by 10.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

[Laughs] Well, I wish you well. I’ll have a coffee with you that it is not quite that many, and I’ll have a coffee with you, I’ll say: New South Wales by four.

MICHAEL BAILEY:

Four? Okay, mate.

MICHAEL MCCORMACK:

[Laughs] Not as confident as you about the result. All good. Well done.

MICHAEL BAILEY:

All good.  Thanks very much. There you go. What can I say? Acting Prime Minister going for New South Wales. If we only would’ve known that before we went to the polls, I wonder if that would’ve changed. No, not really.

Shane Manning