E&OE
STARTS 7.45AM
ENDS 7.53AM
PETER STEFANOVIC
The Coalition split on nuclear after losing the election, yeah, there is a divide running through the Coalition over the future of that policy. You’re watching First Edition, folks. Well, the Coalition is facing a test this morning as divisions emerge over the future of its nuclear policy. We discussed this with Matt Canavan on the program earlier but joining us live now is The Nationals’ MP and the former Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack. Michael, first of all congratulations, regaining your seat, no real trouble there, bit of a walk in the park there.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Thank you, Peter. Oh, it’s never a walk in the park Peter, I had 12 opponents, that was the second highest in Australia, and indeed new boundaries. So never take a vote for granted, it’s never a walk in the park.
PETER STEFANOVIC
Fair enough, I guess I’m just referring to the margin and it seemed that way but fair enough. So, let’s get to the future now with respect to the Coalition, should nuclear remain a coalition policy?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, that’ll be discussed along with a lot of our other policies that we took to the election. Two years ago, if you had have said the nuclear option, many people would have run 100 miles, the same sort of people who would have been quite happy to have nuclear medicine should they need it. But I got a lot of head nods when I said that we needed to have the national, rational discussion about nuclear energy as part of our power mix. But of course, the people of Australia have voted, they’ve decided, interestingly enough Peter, we lost majority government in 2022 on the back of a 35.7 per cent primary vote, yet Labor has now got upwards of 85087 seats with a 34.7% primary at the moment, and of course it’s too early to, the figures are still coming in, but and still a lot of seats and votes to come in and be decided. But that’s interesting and I know there were major redistributions in New South Wales, Victoria and WA, but this hasn’t even been discussed, the fact that Labor has got 1%, at this stage, less primary vote than we received in 2022, and yet they’re going to hold power, by goodness knows, 40-45 seats, interesting.
PETER STEFANOVIC
Right, but if you’ve got like, just one more on nuclear, what what’s your personal view? Let’s just put the party to the side for now. What’s your personal view on it? Should it be maintained in the Coalition suite of policies?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
I think if we’re going to get to net zero, then we absolutely need to have nuclear as part of the mix, and I think we need to have the national, rational discussion about it. Forget The Simpsons’ memes and the three-headed fish and all that nonsense that went on. I do think we need to have a sensible discussion about it going forward, and I’m sure that’ll be, along with a lot of other things, on the table when we next meet as a National Party, I’m sure the Liberals will be discussing it too, as Matt Canavan said this morning, everything needs to be put on the table and discussed in a sensible way.
PETER STEFANOVIC
So, what are you referring to there, the future of the Coalition and staying together?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Oh, no, no absolutely not. Look, the Liberal Party formed in 1944, we’re a lot older than that, we’re Australia’s second oldest political party. We’ve been going for 100 years, and we’ve been much stronger as John Howard always said, when we’re in a Coalition with the Liberal Party. Agriculture and business does a lot better when we’ve got a strong Coalition Government in power, in Canberra and I’m very much a proponent of the Coalition staying as one.
PETER STEFANOVIC
OK, OK.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
I see Colin Barnett, the former WA Premier is out giving plenty of frank and free advice about the LNP merging. I’m not in favour of a merger; I’m just in favour of a Coalition. I think the Coalition is Australia’s best form of Government.
PETER STEFANOVIC
But how do you how do you get that city vote back though, Michael? I mean, that’s the largest bloc of votes, and if they’re voting against a whole bunch of stuff,which nuclear might well be, part of the reason that they voted against, how do you get that city vote back if the Nats or the regional voters have a different view from the city, but how does ..?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, look at how The Nationals go, I mean we pick local champions, we make sure that we work hard every day, every week, every month, right from the end of an election to the start of the next one. And this this next election needs to be won street by street, suburb by suburb, seat by seat. And the Liberals have to get out to the train stations; they have to get out to the sporting and school events and the fairs and all that. And they have to work every weekend, and we have to reconvince the Australian public that we are worth voting for, we have to take a suite of policies that are going to be strong and solid and we’ve got to be able to enunciate those policies and not be told by campaign headquarters that certain people can’t go on media, can’t go out and spruik our policies, what we need to do is make sure that every single Member works hard, every single day. That’s what The Nationals do.
PETER STEFANOVIC
Are you talking about Barnaby there, Michael?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
We no, absolutely not, I had Barnaby in my Electorate, and he did a great job, went to a fund-raiser at Yass, talked up The Nationals so…
PETER STEFANOVIC
So, what part of the campaign or what are you referring to there?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, I’m referring to the fact that there was very much a centralised message coming out of campaign headquarters and I think that people should be able to speak their mind, but you can’t just do it in the six weeks of the campaign, you’ve got to be out working every single day from now until the next election. They say a week is a long time in politics, goodness knows a lot can change in three years, Peter and we can win this back, but we’ve got to convince the Australian public that we’re worth voting for.
PETER STEFANOVIC
In one term?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Absolutely. Look, you never, never, say never. Like I say, a lot can happen in three years. And I’m sure if we get the right people and there’s a lot of good people left in the Liberal Party, a lot of good people and we’ve just seen Tim Wilson win the seat of Goldstein, hopefully Amelia Harmer can come back in. But on the back of, you know, we transitioned three seats in The Nationals, Jamie Chaffey, Alison Penfold and David Batt, good local champions, we’re going to welcome them into the party room. That’s what we need to be doing, finding good local champions, people who’ve got a background in business and getting those people to win those seats right across the country.
PETER STEFANOVIC
You are an optimist. You are an optimist, Michael.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
You have to be Peter, in politics
PETER STEFANOVIC
Should David Littleproud stay on as Leader of The Nats?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Well, look, all the leaders’ positions will be vacated, as they always are after an election. And I’m sure David will throw his hat in the ring and good luck to him. I’m devastated that Perin Davey will probably no longer be in the party room, but she’s forgotten more for water policy, very difficult water policy that, most people will never know, and that’s a big loss not only to the party but the Parliament and you know …
PETER STEFANOVIC
So, who’s going to get your vote Michael? Are you interested in getting it back?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
Oh look, I want The Nationals to be united. I want The Nationals to continue to be great representatives of regional Australia, that’s what we are.
PETER STEFANOVIC
Are you ducking the question, Michael McCormack?
MICHAEL McCORMACK
No, no, not ducking at all. I’m sure David will put his hand up on, I’m not quite sure anybody else will. And we need to get behind the leader, get behind the party, get behind our policies and the Liberal Party needs to do a lot of soul searching and I’m sure they’ll be doing that. But what I would say to the Liberal Party is don’t go and brief journalists anonymously. Get behind whoever you elect as leader and back that person in. At least it looks like with the three contenders at the moment, Dan Tehan, Angus Taylor and Sussan Ley, we will get a regional leader, potentially of the Liberal Party. And that’s not such a bad thing either rest assured.
PETER STEFANOVIC
OK, Michael McCormack, it’s always a delight to talk to you. Thank you so much, we’ll talk soon.
MICHAEL McCORMACK
As with you, Peter, good on you, talk soon.