‘He’s no Barnaby’: Michael McCormack ‘very quiet’

The man selected by Nationals MPs as their new leader has been described by his own constituents as “very quiet’’.

The man selected by Nationals MPs as their leader and the nation’s new Deputy Prime Minister has been described by his own constituents as “very quiet” and “no Barnaby”, with senior party figures privately conceding there is a lack of depth in the Nationals’ parliamentary ranks.

Michael McCormack, the ­silver-haired 53-year-old Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and member for Riverina in NSW, was picked to lead the Nationals at a party room meeting in Canberra this morning.

Wagga Wagga mayor Greg Conkey, who has been friends with Mr McCormack for more than 30 years, met him when they worked together as journalists for their local paper, The Daily Advertiser.

He described Mr McCormack as a “hardworking achiever” and credited him with securing $4.5 million for a yet-to-be-built multipurpose stadium, as well as $15m to “upgrade roads, which we had some issues with securing ­finance with”.

Asked if Mr McCormack was up for the deputy prime ministership, Mr Conkey gave him a resounding endorsement.

“He’s been in politics for quite some years, he’s a strong local member and is a grassroots performer who is always going in to bat for us,” he said.

However, members of the local community were less supportive.

While Mr McCormack has described himself as a “fighter” and used his maiden parliamentary speech in 2010 to promise “not to be silent when I ought to speak”, some Wagga Wagga locals described him as “very quiet” and “no Barnaby”.

Farmers Alice and Pat Mason spoke to The Australian outside St Michael’s Cathedral after Sunday mass. The local farming family has known the Riverina member since he went to St Michael’s Catholic primary school with their children and said they hoped Mr Joyce would return to lead the Nationals.

While the Masons said Mr McCormack was intelligent and “comes from a good family”, they felt Mr Joyce was “more effective”.

“He was solid, strong and knew what he was about,” Mr Mason said.

“He really spoke to the people, to the regional areas and had fire in his belly. I couldn’t imagine Michael getting us there in parliament.

“You’ve seen Barnaby in full flight. He looks like he’s going to explode. I couldn’t imagine Michael doing that.”

Nationals MP Michael McCormack with Barnaby Joyce in the House of Representatives Chamber at Parliament House in Canberra.

Mrs Mason said the power struggle over the Nationals leadership had come at a difficult time for Mr McCormack, whose mother died just six weeks ago. “They were very close,” she said. “He’s just handling that. I honestly just feel we won’t see Michael. He’s quiet.”

Others, such as local business owner Ronnie Scobell, described Mr McCormack as “a good guy”.

“I think he’ll be quite good actually. If you have an issue with business or protocol and you go to him, he’ll definitely follow it up for you,” Mr Scobell said. “He’s very, very supportive.”

On Wagga Wagga’s main shopping strip, Baylis Street, aged-care worker Stephen McCrea said having Mr McCormack as Nationals leader would “be good for the Riverina”.

Mr McCormack, a father of three, was raised on family farms at Marrar and Brucedale and went to school at Saint Michael’s Regional and Trinity Senior High Schools in Wagga Wagga.

He was elected as The Nationals’ Member for Riverina in 2010.

Following the 2013 federal election, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance followed by a spell as Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister in 2015.

A reshuffle in 2016 following the retirement of Warren Truss saw him become the Assistant Minister for Defence. Following the 2016 election Mr McCornmack was appointed the Federal Small Business Minister.