Sky News
E&OE
REPORTER:
Tim good morning to you and good morning to Minister Kevin Andrews.
MINISTER ANDREWS:
Morning.
REPORTER:
First of all just explain to us why Moree has been chosen as the starting point for Pollie Pedal 2014?
MINISTER ANDREWS:
We choose a different route each year, it’s a 1000 km ride. This year Moree, partly because of the wonderful efforts that have been made in terms of indigenous employment in this area, it’s been a great success story over the last decade. But also an opportunity to ride through northern central New South Wales to get to many villages and towns that we wouldn’t normally get to and to meet people and hear their concerns along the way.
REPORTER:
So how many will be riding today and who will you be riding with?
MINISTER ANDREWS:
About 50 riders will take part in the ride overall. Apart from myself I have my colleague Mark Coulton, the local Member here in Parkes, Luke Hartsuyker, the Assistant Employment Minister, Angus Taylor, the Member for Hume and David Gillespie, the Member for Lyne. So there will be five of us riding and Senator Mitch Fifield will be coming along, but he’s coming in a car.
REPORTER:
And the Prime Minister did seem quite disappointed last night that he wouldn’t be able to participate in this ride.
MINISTER ANDREWS:
Tony has ridden every kilometre of the previous 16 Pollie Pedals, so that’s 16,000 km at least, and he genuinely enjoys it. He likes getting out into country Australia, talking to people, hearing their concerns and enjoying the camaraderie of this ride.
REPORTER:
And since its humble beginnings back in 1998 Pollie Pedal has raised more (inaudible) million dollars for a number of charities, the key beneficiary this year being Carers Australia.
MINISTER ANDREWS:
The past three years we’ve raised money for Carers Australia. We’ve raised over a million dollars in the last two years, we hope to raise somewhere in the order of three quarters of a million dollars for carers this year.
REPORTER:
Tell us a little bit about the logistics today, so you’re starting in Moree today, what’s the first port of call?
MINISTER ANDREWS:
It’s a hundred km stage today from Moree to Bingara, then tomorrow about 150-160 km to Tamworth, then onto Gunnedah, Coonabarabran, Dubbo, Mudgee, Lithgow, Katoomba, then finally onto Penrith.
REPORTER:
And how much preparation goes into a ride of that scale and size I guess?
MINISTER:
Well in terms of a rider I’d probably have to say not enough, I’ve been doing about 200 km a week the last couple of months. I’ll find out today if that’s good enough but a lot of preparation in terms of support. Vehicles obviously have to cart around a lot of our gear from town to town and day to day and there’s great back-up and Carers Australia have been very good in that regard. But a whole group of volunteers who come out year after year and make their contribution to this ride.
REPORTER:
Well Minister all the best for the ride today, appreciate your time today.
MINISTER ANDREWS:
Thank you very much.