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AUSPOLLIEWATCH EVERY CLAIM LINKS TO ITS SOURCE · NOT A SCORECARD

Portrait of Michael McCormack

Michael McCormack

The Nationals · House of Representatives · Riverina (NSW) · incumbent

Early life & education encyclopedia

Michael Francis McCormack was born on 2 August 1964 in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, one of five children of dryland farmer Lance McCormack and Eileen Margaret McCormack, and grew up on family farms near Marrar and Brucedale. He attended St Michael's Regional High School and Trinity Senior High School (later merged into Kildare Catholic College). Before politics he took up a cadetship with The Daily Advertiser in Wagga Wagga and was appointed editor of the paper in 1991, aged 27.

Background official record

Journalist at Wagga Wagga's Daily Advertiser from 1981 and its editor 1991-2002. Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader 2018-2021. Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Shadow Minister for Water from 16 March 2026.

2025 election · Riverina McCORMACK, Michael (The Nationals) was elected with 42,678 first-preference votes. Two-candidate-preferred count: McCORMACK, Michael (The Nationals) 66,276, JEFFRESON, Mark (Labor) 39,561. [AEC results]

Sourced positions

Each position is the member's own stated view or vote, supported by the listed sources. The badge says what kind of source backs it — official record (Hansard, a parliament, a government or an electoral commission), own statement (their own site or their party's), news report (journalism or a third-party organisation) or encyclopedia. That is a statement about the evidence, not about how much we believe it. This page records public statements and conduct only — see methodology.

AyeNoPairedDid not vote

Immigration news report

In a 2018 interview on regional migration, McCormack said "all options are on the table" for improving migration policy and supported "encouraging strategic targeted migration" to fill regional skill shortages, stating "Migrants bring a willingness to work. They start small businesses and their contribution is highly valued" and that regional migration "needs to be at the forefront of our immigration system."

Votes on record · 1

Faith & religion news report

McCormack is a Roman Catholic; Wikipedia notes he, 'a Roman Catholic, married Catherine (nee Shaw) in Saint Michael's Cathedral, Wagga Wagga in 1986,' and he publicly identified himself 'as a proud Catholic' when selected to represent Australia at Pope Francis' 2025 funeral.

Foreign policy & aid news report

Responding to a protest outside his Wagga office, McCormack stated that protest organisers 'do not represent the majority of the Riverina who support Israel', and added: 'Palestine has been recognised as a state by the Australian government and the people there do need to live in peace.'

Economy & tax recorded votes

Votes on record · 7

Workplace & industrial relations recorded votes

Votes on record · 2

Drugs & law and order recorded votes

Votes on record · 5

Gambling & gaming reform recorded votes

Votes on record · 1

First Nations & treaty recorded votes

Votes on record · 2

Integrity & anti-corruption recorded votes

Votes on record · 2

Health recorded votes

Votes on record · 5

Education recorded votes

Votes on record · 2

Environment & water recorded votes

Votes on record · 9

Votes are shown as the official record lists them — Hansard federally and in New South Wales; Votes and Proceedings, Minutes of the Proceedings and Hansard in Victoria; the Record of Proceedings in Queensland; the Votes and Proceedings and Minutes of Proceedings in Western Australia; the Votes and Proceedings (House of Assembly) and Hansard (Legislative Council) in South Australia; the Votes and Proceedings of both chambers in Tasmania. "Did not vote" means the member held the seat that day and is on neither list — the record says who was in the chamber, not why, so it is never an abstention. Western Australia’s record prints no pairs, so a member paired there shows as did not vote. Nothing is shown for a presiding officer who by law gives only a casting vote (the Speaker and the President in South Australia, the President in Tasmania), nor for the member presiding at a Tasmanian division, which Tasmania’s journals record. Which bills sit under which issue is an editorial choice, made bill by bill with a reason read from the second-reading speech. A bill decided by an earlier parliament (Queensland’s 2018 abortion law reform, for one) is shown with that parliament named, read from the official record of the day. For Queensland and the federal parliament “did not vote” there means the member held a seat that day, as their service is recorded; for the other earlier parliaments the record of who held a seat could not be read, so only the printed Aye, No and paired votes are shown.

Record last updated 2026-10-10.