Topics: Pollie Pedal raising money for Wandering Warriors 

 

E&OE   

 

PADDY: 

107.7 Triple M Breakfast with Paddy and Maz. Day four of riding our bikes around the Central Coast, the tandem bike. We're at Avoca Beach bowling club today. This is a little bit of a pit stop for us. They have pit stops on the F1's.  

 

MAZ: 

Yeah, we're allowed a pit stop. 

 

PADDY: 

Actually, we have to talk tomorrow to John Sartori, because he's going over to Texas for the next Formula One Grand Prix. It is in Austin, in Texas. We have to, because I know the boys Bill and Nathan always speak to me about the Formula One. So we'll have to do that. 

 

MAZ: 

We can definitely do that. 

 

PADDY: 

Yeah. But right now we, and since we've been riding these bikes around the Coast, the amount of info we've been finding out about cycling clubs and cyclists from the Central Coast. 

 

MAZ: 

And events! Yeah it's amazing. I didn't realise, but it is a real thing. People love cycling. 

 

PADDY: 

And on the weekend, on Sunday, our Shadow Treasurer, Angus Taylor, will be on the Central Coast. He joins us this morning. Good morning, Angus.  

 

MAZ: 

Hello Angus. 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

G'day, great to be with you. And well done! 

 

MAZ: 

Oh, it's not over yet. 

 

PADDY: 

We've been very slack today, Angus, let me tell you.  

 

MAZ: 

We've done a lot of chatting today. It's been very busy. It was very busy at the Haven at Terrigal, so lots of chatting. But we are going to, as soon as we've spoken to you Angus, we're jumping back on the bike and we're finishing the show off on the bike.  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Well good on you. It's very exciting to hear you discovering this underworld of cycling. It's fantastic, isn't it? 

 

MAZ: 

It's awesome. It's so amazing. 

 

PADDY: 

And on Sunday you're here on the Central Coast, it's kicking off from Gosford. What is it? 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

So it's Pollie Pedal, which happens every year. It started in 1998, by Tony Abbott. We've ridden over 24,000kms in that time and raised over $7 million for various charities. We're doing about 1000 kilometers, starting in Gosford ending up in Port Macquarie, going up through New England. Eight days. And you know, 100 - 150km a day, so big event. And we're sponsoring the Wandering Warriors who provide support to Special Forces veterans as they leave the forces. So fantastic charity. The worst bit is they're really good riders.  

 

MAZ: 

They would be! They'd be very fit! 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

And they cause me a lot of pain, let me tell you. 

 

PADDY: 

Is Tony Abbott riding with you this time, Angus?  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

He is. He's the patron these days, so he does the whole thing and has done from the start. 

 

MAZ: 

That is quite amazing. About 150kms a day-ish? 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Yeah, 100 - 150 each day. Yeah, so big days.  

 

MAZ: 

That's big. That's huge days. I hope you've got some cliff bars in your back pocket to get you through.  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Yeah you get a bit of saddle soreness too, I don't know if you've suffered that yet, but anyway, it's a brilliant event. And as you, I'm sure are discovering, just a fantastic way to meet local communities... 

 

PADDY: 

Yeah every day Angus, people are coming up. It's been sensational. Mate, how many riders are taking part, leaving the Central Coast, or Gosford, on Sunday? 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:  

Yeah, it changes every day, but 30 or 40 riders most days typically. Some people come and do a day or two or a few hours. 

 

MAZ: 

Sure, so they can just do, you can do like a little leg of it, or you can do the whole thing. 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

I mean, some of my colleagues will do their 10 minutes and move on. But [inaudible] the full thing. Of course, the big question in every pack, as I'm sure you're discovering this, is who's doing all the work? I really know between you two! 

 

PADDY: 

Oh let me tell you, it's me. It's, I've had an anchor for four days, Angus. Four days. 

 

MAZ: 

Okay let me just say today, Angus, when we were going up a hill, so I'm standing up because I'm on the back to get the bike up the hill. And today, after Paddy ate a couple of pizzas for dinner last night, it was much harder to get up the hill today. That's all I'm saying. 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:   

Keep him off the beers! 

 

MAZ: 

You can decide for yourself who's doing more work, and who do you think is just standing around having a chat. 

 

PADDY: 

Well someone had to do the PR work Angus, as you know. 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Well you know you have this fight, even if you're not even on a tandem, because if you're at a peloton, whoever's on the front does a lot more work. 

 

MAZ: 

That's right. Because they're, I guess, the speed tracker, right? The person at the front of the peloton.  

 

PADDY: 

And Angus whereabouts from Gosford are you leaving? 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Look, I haven't got, I should know this! 

 

PADDY: 

That's ok!  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

But anyway, we'll be riding around Gosford... 

 

MAZ: 

So you'll be around Gosford and you'll be heading up to Port Macquarie. 

 

PADDY: 

I've got a surprise for you, because Mazzy has just put her hand up and she said, look from Sunday for the days I'm not doing anything, she will ride the 1000kms. Well done, Mazzy! 

 

MAZ: 

And the great thing about that last minute volunteer offer is that it's a tandem bike and Paddy will have to be at the front. Cannot ride a tandem bike by yourself! 

 

PADDY: 

Oh seriously, Angus, I don't know how you do it. Well done. 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

A few sneak in e-bikes these days too, of course. 

 

MAZ: 

What a great invention that is.  

 

PADDY: 

You do nothing on there! Well, Angus, mate, hope it goes well. Thank you very much. And what we might do on your ride, because it's over a few days... 

 

MAZ: 

Can we chat to you next week sometime and check in? 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:  

While I've got you, if people want to donate to the Wandering Warriors, WanderingWarriors.org/Pollie-Pedal. You'll find it, and people can make a contribution. Anything is great. 

 

MAZ: 

WanderingWarriors.org and then Pollie Pedal, got it.  

 

PADDY: 

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor. And by the way mate, we've sold our, we're selling this house at Copacabana. We've got one up at Rocky Point. So we'll send the brochure to you if you want to buy that one.  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Oh look, I'm not planning on retirement. Clearly, the Prime Minister is and we're going to help him out with that. But thanks for the thought.  

 

PADDY: 

Angus Taylor, Shadow Treasurer. He is doing the Pollie ride, the annual Pollie Pedal this Sunday, from Gosford it'll take off, heading to Port Macquarie, and we'll speak to you next week. Thank you very much Angus. 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Thanks. 

 

ENDS.