Subjects: Coalition spilt, religious preaching reform
E&OE
Sally SARA
You’re listening to Radio National Breakfast with Sally Sara. We’re returning now to federal politics. And Nationals leader David Littleproud is widely expected to survive a leadership challenge brought on by Queensland MP Colin Boyce. Joining me now is Michael McCormack, the member for Riverina and former leader of the National Party. Sir Michael McCormack. Welcome back to breakfast.
Michael McCORMACK
Good morning, Sally.
Sally SARA
What’s going to happen with this motion from Colin Boyce today? Will it be seconded?
Michael McCORMACK
Well that I’m not sure, Sally. But if it goes ahead, then so be it. That’s democracy. Anybody is entitled to put their hands up and we’ll have to see how it plays out. I know that Colin is unhappy at the moment with how things are going, but I think David Littleproud has the numbers. I think he’s got the security there. So we’ll just have to see what transpires.
Sally SARA
Are members of the Nationals Party room are frustrated that this is happening today?
Michael McCORMACK
Well, I think they should be frustrated at the fact that Labor has really been laid off the hook. Labor, who have mishandled the economy, mishandled Bondi Beach. There’s been so many things. The legislation that went through the parliament there a couple of weeks ago was very rushed. Should not have been that way. We should have had more time to discuss nation changing reform. And we didn’t. It was pushed through the Parliament and we should have been keeping them to account for that. And we should be doing things to address the economy. The NDIS is a mess. Bulk billing rates are not what they should be, particularly in regional Australia. And here we are talking about ourselves.
Sally SARA
How can members of The Coalition, senior members of The Coalition, be effective, and how can the National Party be effective in fighting the Government when your shadow portfolios are now occupied by the Liberals?
Michael McCORMACK
They are only occupied in a temporary way, Sally. They had to have be occupied by somebody because that’s the parliamentary process. There has to be the shadow spokesperson for various portfolio areas for the Parliament to function as it normally would. We’re sitting this week. It’s the first regular week back for 2026. So those positions needed to be filled until the end of this week. And we’ll see what happens with how they go permanently. They should be occupied by National Party people, and we should be reunified with the Liberals, and that should take place, I believe, in the next 48 hours. That’s what I think should happen. But whether that does in fact fall into place remains to be seen.
Sally SARA
Why do you think that should happen in 48 hours?
Michael McCORMACK
Well, it can’t just go on. We can’t have this infighting between the two Coalition partners, people out un voter land need to know that we’ve got their back. And we do have. We absolutely do have. But we need to listen to their concerns about the cost-of-living crisis and everything that’s going on in their households and their small businesses, which are getting increasingly difficult to run. We need to stop talking about ourselves and get back together and create this government toolkit.
Sally SARA
What do you think the chances are of some kind of repair in the next two days?
Michael McCORMACK
Well, that remains to be seen. If I could look into the crystal ball and tell you, Sally, I certainly would. But if I knew what was going to happen here in the next couple of weeks, I would have a crystal ball. Quite frankly, I’d be down to Randwick races and using it there, putting it to better effect.
Sally SARA
What do you think needs to happen to get the sides back together quickly?
Michael McCORMACK
Cool heads, diplomacy, discipline and common sense.
Sally SARA
Is a change of leader what is required to see the Liberals and Nationals join together again?
Michael McCORMACK
Well, the Liberal Party leadership is entirely a matter for the Liberal Party. I don’t think Sussan Ley has had clear ai ever since she took over the position. She’s the first female leader. She hasn’t had that clear air by certain sections of the media and certain sections of her own party. And look, the National Party leadership will be decided this afternoon. I’m expecting David will continue on in the role that he’s that he’s had since 2022. The two leaders – we need really need them to get together. Talk this through, see where we go from here, get the parties back together, and then keep this government accountable.
Sally SARA
Do you believe there’s any chance that the three Nationals who resigned from shadow cabinet could be reinstated?
Michael McCORMACK
Yes, I do, because of the circumstances around the resignation. It was a very unconventional week. And what we should have done was revert to what happened in 2008 when the Nationals believed in the wheat situation, as it was, the Liberals wanted to deregulate the market and voted with the Kevin Rudd-led Labor Government to do just that. The Nationals voted against it, as they should have for regional Australia. And then they had agreed beforehand, The Coalition partners, that given the unconventional status of the legislation that they would continue on. Indeed, Warren Truss continued to lead the National Party in Coalition with the Brendan Nelson-led Liberals. And we just moved on and that was common sense. But we didn’t exercise a lot of common sense a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, it was just the way it was.
Sally SARA
How concerned are you that other Nationals MPs and senators might follow the trail of Barnaby Joyce and defect to One Nation?
Michael McCORMACK
Well, I haven’t got a sense that that’s going to happen. I know Barnaby’s out there today, saying that there’s going to be one in the next 24 hours, I think that’s Barnaby being Barnaby just stirring the pot.
Sally SARA
Just separately, on another issue, last week, the former prime minister, Scott Morrison, delivered a speech in Israel calling for regulation of Islamic preachers. What do you think of that idea?
Michael McCORMACK
Yeah, I think this is what needs to happen. And I think we really need to ensure that certainly if it’s being taught in schools, it is said this is radical Islam and it must stop. I know there was a principal at a school in my region at Young who was just stood down, for some of the things that he’s put on social media and said out in public. We need to ensure that schools are there places of learning, places of peace and happiness and make sure that children are learning the right things the right way, not being taught radical Islam. More than that, out in synagogues and out in every church and other faith buildings, we need to make sure they are teaching people and those who go to pray the right things and not using them as temples of hate. And sadly, I think that’s what has occurred in Australia. I think what we need to do is make sure that we listen to people like Scott Morrison. I think he’s come up with a good plan. I think it deserves merit.
Sally SARA
Should regulation of preachers, should that be limited to those of the Islamic faith, or should it be across the board for other religions, in your view?
Michael McCORMACK
Well, it tends to remain that, that there’s not too many complaints about every religion I have to say. That’s a sad situation, but religion should be something where people are being taught peace and being taught harmony and being taught inclusivity, all of those sorts of things. We need to teach those people who go to those buildings of worship, whilst they might have different goals and different beliefs, that we need to live together as one and we need to be, peaceful and law-abiding citizens.
Sally SARA
Michael McCormack, we need to leave it there. Thank you for your time this morning.
Michael McCORMACK
Thanks Sally. Any time.
Sally SARA
That’s Michael McCormack. Former leaders of the Nationals and the member for Riverina in New South Wales.
ENDS