Statement regarding new shadow ministry

As I step down from the Coalition frontbench, I reflect with gratitude on the past three years serving as Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific. This role has been amongst the most rewarding of my Parliamentary career, offering opportunities to forge meaningful partnerships and advocate for our Pacific neighbours.

A particular focus of my time in this role was championing improvements to the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. The importance of the PALM Scheme to a thriving agriculture sector cannot be overstated. Despite continual pushes from Labor to make the scheme completely unworkable for farmers, I consistently pushed for, and achieved better protections and fairer outcomes for both Australian farmers and Pacific and Timorese workers.

Equally important was the advocacy for health equity, especially in relation to vaccine access. I was particularly proud of my advocacy for the elimination of cervical cancer in Papua New Guinea. My advocacy brought forward programs of vaccinations which would otherwise have taken more than a century to bring about. This work stands to change the trajectory of women’s health in the Pacific, and I commend all those in government, civil society and the health sector who are helping to make this vision a reality.

Over the past three years, I also had the privilege of attending bipartisan visits to Vanuatu and the Federated States of Micronesia. These trips are a testament to Australia’s unified commitment to the Pacific and reaffirmed that, regardless of political affiliation, our collective priority should always be to work collaboratively with our closest neighbours to secure the best outcomes for our region. I also now know, from firsthand experience, that sakau must be sipped and not skolled!

In 2022, I travelled to Kenya as part of a bipartisan Parliamentary delegation to witness the devastating impact of the hunger crisis gripping the Horn of Africa. It was deeply confronting to see so many families displaced by drought, children suffering from malnutrition, and communities on the brink. Together with six other Labor and Liberal MPs, we called for the Albanese government to commit more to the devastating hunger crisis. This wasn’t about politics, it was about people. It was bipartisanship at its best, working together to ensure Australia plays its part in addressing one of the most urgent humanitarian crises of our time.

Throughout my tenure, I had the privilege of collaborating with esteemed colleagues and organisations committed to the betterment of the Pacific and the world. Mat Tinkler, CEO of Save the Children Australia, has been a steadfast ally in advocating for children’s rights and development initiatives. Marion Stanton, Head of Government Relations at Save the Children, provided invaluable insights and support in our shared mission. Matthew Maury and Marc Purcell of ACFID, brought decades of experience and a deep understanding of development challenges, enriching our discussions and strategies. Michael Sheldrick and the Global Citizen team, their passion for ending extreme poverty and driving global change was both inspiring and a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when advocacy meets action. And Ben Clare who has been a tireless advocate for disability inclusion across the Pacific, leading efforts to expand blindness education and accessible technology in countries such as Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Kiribati. His incredible work is helping to ensure that no-one is left behind, regardless of ability or geography.

One of the most profound and humbling moments of my career came not in Parliament or on a policy visit, but at Flemington Racecourse, delivering the eulogy at the funeral of the late great Sarah Carter. Through her work with Save the Children, Sarah was a tireless advocate for improving the lives of the world’s most disadvantaged. Her integrity, warmth and unshakeable commitment to justice left a lasting imprint on everyone who worked with her. Honouring her in that moment was amongst the most significant days of my career. I will always love her passion, energy, grace, style and drive to make the world a better place. What a great Parliamentarian she would have made!

The Pacific is a keenly contested space at present and future diplomacy, collaboration and co-operation are going to be critical in the collective interests of Australia and our friends and nearest neighbours. We need to be, as much as possible, Team Australia when it comes to the Blue Pacific.

I am disappointed in the decision not to include me in the frontbench but, as I told a media conference today:

“There are people, at the moment, quite frankly, who are shovelling mud out of their homes, there are farmers looking to the skies and hoping it will rain, there are women who will discover lumps in their breasts today, there are men who won’t be able to see their kids at night because of some court order. There are so many people far worse off than me in this world.”

As I return to the backbench, I remain committed to the values that have guided my work in international development: compassion, collaboration, and a steadfast dedication to improving the lives of those in our neighbouring countries. Congratulations to my colleagues who are returning to shadow portfolios and especially to those who have been promoted to a shadow portfolio for the first time. Working in the frontbench of the Australian Opposition or Government is one of life’s greatest privileges. I look forward to continuing to serve the Riverina community, my first, foremost and fundamental duty, and contributing to Australia’s development efforts in new and meaningful ways.

Michael McCormack MP
Federal Member for Riverina