The shadow minister for water responded to Senator Hanson’s remarks about slashing migration at the National Press Club on Wednesday, June 17, and said “it’s just nonsensical”.
“These permanent residents are in many cases in regional Australia propping up aged care, childcare, working in our universities, working in public health,” he said.
Mr McCormack affirmed the Coalition’s support for the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme as it provides a valuable source of labour for Australia’s agricultural industry, and condemned the Labor Party’s unionising approach to protecting workers.
Mr McCormack said Senator Hanson “comes out here with these trite comments about our migrants, and quite frankly, it’s just not right”.
Mr McCormack, a former journalist and editor, also addressed Senator Hanson’s attack on Guardian Australia’s Sarah Martin.
“That’s not acceptable, I’m sorry, if a journalist asks you a tough question, it’s your job as a politician to give a practical and sensible answer,” he said.
“I think it’s shameful; if it was a bloke doing it, they may as well write out their resignation, but it seems she can get away with anything at the moment, it’s not right.”
When asked about the rise of One Nation, Mr McCormack emphasised the small size of many polls.
“Let’s see what happens over the next two years,” he said.
“There’s every possibility that One Nation will implode.
“There’s some interesting dynamics with the personalities they’ve got there, and when Barnaby Joyce can’t explain a One Nation policy without having to go and correct himself on Andrew Bolt of all media people, you know there’s something a little bit wrong there.”
