Federal Election: The scandals and power struggles of Nationals MP Michael McCormack
With the Federal Election called for 21 May, Yahoo News Australia has answered the biggest questions people are asking about former Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack.
What are the biggest scandals Michael McCormack has faced?
Editorials on homosexuality
As editor of the Daily Advertiser in 1993, McCormack wrote an editorial in which he blamed homosexuals for spreading AIDS.
He wrote "how can these people call for rights when they're responsible for the greatest medical dilemma known to man – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome?"
While there were three complaints to the Australian Press Council as a result of the piece, no action was taken. McCormack wrote a second editorial apologising for his previous remarks.
The editorials, of course, resurfaced when he entered politics. McCormack was forced to apologise, stating he had "grown and learnt not only to tolerate, but to accept all people regardless of their sexual orientation or any other trait or feature which makes each of us different and unique".
Pacific Islanders
In August 2019 McCormack was acting prime minister while Scott Morrison was attending a forum in the Pacific Islands. Leaders of the group of Pacific nations had voiced their concerns over Australia’s actions in increasing global warming, which threatened low-lying islands in the area from rising sea levels.
McCormack responded to the criticism by saying: "They’ll continue to survive because many of their workers come here and pick our fruit".
Protests
McCormack again attracted strong criticism when in January 2021 following the Capitol Hill protests, he stated: "Any form of protest, whether it’s a protest over racial riots or indeed what we’ve seen on Capitol Hill in recent days, is condemned and is abhorred.”
As the right to protest in Australia is protected by law, which was pointed out by Amnesty International at the time, he was forced to clarify his comments and later stated: "Any form of violence should be condemned."
Pork barrelling
McCormack's deputy leader Bridget McKenzie was forced to resign her ministerial post for breaching the ministerial code of conduct after evidence of widespread pork barrelling over sports grants in Coalition marginal seats surfaced in January 2020.
As the investigation into the grants program continued, it was also revealed that the regional infrastructure grants program, which McCormack himself oversaw, awarded a staggering 94 per cent of its grants to electorates held or targeted by the Coalition leading up to the 2019 federal election.
What is Michael McCormack's family background?
McCormack is one of five children born to Eileen Margaret (née Margosis; 1938–2018) and Lance McCormack. His four siblings are Denise, Robyn, Julieanne and Mark.
His maternal grandfather, George Peter Margosis, was born in Greece, while his other three grandparents were born in NSW.
Where did Michael McCormack grow up?
McCormack was born in 1964 in Wagga Wagga, NSW, and grew up on nearby rural properties. He attended St Michael's Regional High School and Trinity Senior High School.
Who is Michael McCormack's wife?
McCormack married current wife Catherine Shaw at Saint Michael's Cathedral in Wagga Wagga in 1986.
The couple have three children, Georgina, Alexander and Nicholas.
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When did Michael McCormack enter politics?
After sitting member for Riverina Kay Hull announced her retirement from politics in 2010, McCormack, who had previously served as her campaign director in the 2004 and 2007 elections, won preselection for her seat.
Despite the Liberals standing a candidate against him, McCormack won the seat convincingly.
What were Michael McCormack's previous political roles?
McCormack was made parliamentary secretary to the finance minister, Mathias Cormann, after the Coalition won the 2013 election. His later roles included assistant minister to the deputy PM, Warren Truss (2015), assistant defence minister, small business minister (2016), defence personnel and veterans’ affairs minister (2017).
He made two attempts at being elected as the deputy leader of the Nationals in 2016 and 2017, losing to Fiona Nash and Bridget McKenzie respectively, both times by one vote.
With the resignation of Barnaby Joyce in 2018 following his extra-marital affair with staffer Vikki Campion, McCormack went straight for the top job and was elected as party leader and deputy prime minister. He also replaced Joyce as infrastructure and transport minister.
In 2020, Joyce unsuccessfully challenged McCormack for the party leadership. Joyce had another crack at getting his old job back in June 2021, this time winning, seeing McCormack return to the backbench.
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