Federal MP Michael McCormack has rubbished suggestions recent by-election results across the state will impact his party’s standing in the Riverina.
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Speaking from Canberra on Thursday, the Minister for Small Business said voters would be able to separate state and federal issues despite swings of up to 20 per cent across the Murray and Cootamundra by-elections.
“I think people are reasonably discerning and can differ between state and federal politics,” Mr McCormack said.
“We’ve picked up new territory on the federal scale and I believe we’ve delivered across the area.”
The Member for Riverina paid tribute to Steph Cooke (Cootamundra) and Austin Evans (Murray) for their successful campaigns, taking a pot shot at the vocal Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party in the process.
“At the end of the day, our state candidates won and I think they’ll make fine representatives,” he said.
“Generally, there is a significant swing against a major party candidate but I’m sure in time - and not a long time - people will realise that majority of voters made a sensible decision.
“After all, what are parties like the Shooters going to provide for these communities?”
Despite having been dusted up in a political football fixture last week, Mr McCormack was upbeat about his National Party’s prospects.
“People have been writing off the Nats since we first formed but if people take a look at what they’re going to get with parties like Country Labor and Shooters, they’ll realise we’re the ones delivering.”
POLITICS is a tough and bruising business at the best of times.
Mr McCormack was ordered off to hospital last wekek where he was diagnosed with a slight case of concussion and whiplash along with a badly cut inner lip, following an incident during what was supposed to be a friendly touch rugby match.
The game was being held as part of preparations leading into the Rugby League 2017 World Cup events - for men and women - that are due to start at the end of this month in Australia and NZ.
But as he sized an opportunity to head for glory and score a decisive try, and to run past one of the game’s biggest legends in Darren Lockyer on the sporting grounds adjacent to Parliament House in Canberra earlier this morning, the energetic and sports-man Riverina MP was shirtfronted by one of his own political allies.
Mr McCormack was accompanied by the likes of Australian Jillaroos captain Ruan Sims and other federal MPs and staffers, he encountered the rugged and sizeable shoulder of larger-than-life Queensland Liberal MP Scott Buchholz.