Transcript - Interview - Beef TV with Lyndsey Douglas

LYNDSEY DOUGLAS: We’re joined by the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, Kristy McBain, a long way from dairy country in Bega where you’re from. 

KRISTY MCBAIN: That’s exactly right, a long way from dairy country, but very happy to be here at Beef Week supporting Rockhampton and Central Queensland. This is such a big event, which drags in people from all over the country, but also parts of the world come here. Incredible to be here, and I’m really excited. 

DOUGLAS: Let’s talk about the agriculture where you’re from, for a bit of diversity, I’m a little beefed out at the moment. You’ve got a phenomenal merino sheep industry in your patch of the world. Really great dairy. What else is going on, and how significant are those industries? 

MCBAIN: Agriculture is pretty significant across Eden-Monaro. Not only do we have dairy and sheep, we’ve also got a big aquaculture industry. Oyster farms, kelp farms, muscle farms, and we do have a bit of beef country where I live as well. The Bega Beef Co‑op would be very unhappy if I didn’t say that we do have some beef as well. We’ve got a lot of different agricultural pursuits across Eden-Monaro. 

DOUGLAS: Do you see some similar policy needs in the beef industry and the dairy industry? 

MCBAIN: Agriculture, more holistically is after things, regardless of what particular type of agriculture that is. Biodiversity is a huge one, that billion-dollar investment we’re making into biodiversity is going to be critical to make sure that we can continue with this industry. Roads are always incredibly important, and bridges in particular for a lot of our regional communities. If you don’t have a bridge strong enough to get a truck over it, to get produce and products out, that’s incredibly disheartening for farmers. Making sure we’ve got really strong road connections is important for rural communities, and that’s why doubling Roads to Recovery from $500 million a year to a billion dollars a year will make such a difference to our regional communities. 

DOUGLAS: And what’s happening in the space of rail? Is that important to you too? 

MCBAIN: Rail across different parts of the country is incredibly important. Obviously, Inland Rail and its continued development will be incredibly important, especially for Queensland. There’s always going to be investments in that transport space, so we’re really looking forward to working with the states and territories to make sure that we’re meeting farmers’ needs across the country. 

DOUGLAS: Budget week next week. Can we get excited about some rural and regional announcements? 

MCBAIN: Budget week is coming next week, really important, but it would be a very career‑limiting move for me to announce anything on Beef TV, even though I know you want it.

DOUGLAS: I understand. Just tell me I’m going to be happy? That’s all we want to know. 

MCBAIN: Everyone’s going to be happy out of the Budget. 

DOUGLAS: All right, all right. But you’re the first woman to win your seat. Tell us about breaking that sort of territory for us. 

MCBAIN: Eden-Monaro is a foundation seat, one of the only ones still named after the area it’s located in. I’m the 13^th person to represent it, and the first woman, as you said. It only took us 120 years, but we got there, so that’s incredibly lovely for me. 

DOUGLAS: Kristy McBain, I’m sure you’ve heard about this. We are terrorising our pollies during Beef Week with these questions, and it’s time for you to play the Beef TV Quiz. Are you ready?

MCBAIN: Oh, the board. I’m ready.

DOUGLAS: The challenge that you’ll see here is that we have had some winners and losers so far in this game. Your responsibility is to not do worse than Littleproud. 

MCBAIN: Well, you know what, if I do worse than Littleproud, we’ve got a real problem, because he’s really at the raw end, and I’m not sure what that says about a former Agriculture Minister either.

DOUGLAS: He might have had the beef sweats. It’s a big week. I’m going to dive right in here and ask you the first question. Traditional beef sausages are encased in what? 

MCBAIN: Ah, it’s an organ. 

DOUGLAS: It is. I’m going to ask you, is it socks, is it salami, is it pig intestines? 

MCBAIN: It’s pig intestines. 

DOUGLAS: That was a bit of a ‘gimmie’ that for you. What breed of cattle did the Queen own? 

MCBAIN: Braman? 

DOUGLAS: Wouldn’t that have been great up in the Highlands of Scotland. No, Swiss ‑Sussex cattle, I should say, and Highland cattle. 

MCBAIN: Well, she should have owned a Brahman. 

DOUGLAS: She should have, she would have done really well with Brahmans. True or false, cattle can smell up to 10 kilometres away. 

MCBAIN: That’s false, surely. 

DOUGLAS: Wrong. They can. 

MCBAIN: Really? 

DOUGLAS: Isn’t that wonderful to know. 

MCBAIN: That’s extraordinary. 

DOUGLAS: When cattle lick each other, what are they doing; having a taste, cleaning, or helping their mates relax? 

MCBAIN: I’m going to say helping their mates relax. 

DOUGLAS: It is a tongue massage. How thoroughly disgusting to know. And butchers’ aprons, you know the stripes on them. You get one for being qualified. How many stripes means you’re a master? 

MCBAIN: Five. 

DOUGLAS: Wrong, it’s three. But you’ve got a couple of points. You’re nicely in the middle here. Kristy McBain, a joy to get to speak to you, and thank you for joining Beef TV. 

MCBAIN: Great to be with you.