Topics: Pollie Pedal

E&OE

ELIZABETH METTAM: It's fantastic to have the Pollie Pedal team here in the electorate of Vasse in Busselton this morning, raising valuable funds for the Wandering Warriors. So great to have the team Andrew Hastie, Angus Taylor, Steve Martin and Quentin Masson from the Pollie Pedal team in the electorate as they raise these valuable funds for the Wandering Warriors. I'll now hand over to team members to explain more about this important journey and the great funds that they're raising for a valuable cause.

ANGUS TAYLOR: Right, thanks Libby, great to be with you in your beautiful electorate, this wonderful place here in Busselton on Pollie Pedal. So, Pollie Pedal’s been going since 1998. It's travelled in that time about a thousand kilometres a year, so close to 25,000 kilometres over that time. Raised over $7 million for a range of charities including Royal Flying Doctor Service, Carers Australia, as well of course this year as Wandering Warriors, who Andrew will say and Quentin will say a little bit more about in a moment, but for our veterans supporting those incredible people who serve our great nation in extraordinary circumstances so really great to be, not just supporting them but riding with a number of our veterans including my colleague Andrew. This is a great event each year. It's one of the things I look forward to most in the year. I've been doing it for 10 years because it's a chance to see these beautiful parts of Australia we don't always see. Wandering into towns, pubs, cafes, talk to people, have a chance to learn about the local community and learn about what the issues are in that area and as a regional MP I find that to be a real privilege. So, brilliant to be here in Bussleton, with such a great group of riders in such a good part of Australia. Thanks for having us.

Maybe Quentin wants to say a few things about Wandering Warriors and then you can Andrew.

JOURNALIST: Can you tell us a little bit about Wandering Warriors and kind of why it's important to get these funds for you guys as well? Yeah, sure.

QUENTIN MASSON: So, it's a privilege to be here on the 25th anniversary of Pollie Pedal. Wandering Warriors is the principal charity recipient this year for Pollie Pedal. Wandering Warrior’s is a national charity that provides education, respite, welfare and employment and a range of other services for transitioning veterans, primarily focused on the Special Forces community. So, it's great to be in Western Australia, the home of the SAS, and to be transiting down into the southwest. This is a beautiful spot. You've turned the weather on for us today. It's fantastic and also to mark Veterans Mental Health Week this week as well. So, the timing's perfect and it's a fantastic opportunity and we feel honoured and privilege to be here.

JOURNALIST: And how have you found the ride so far?

QUENTIN MASSON: The first day was pretty tough, it was some nice hot weather coming out of Perth, but the temperatures dropped quite, a nice couple of hundred and thirty K's today so it was fantastic.

JOURNALIST: Thank you.

ANDREW HASTIE: Well, it's great to be here in Vasse, thanks Libby for welcoming us here. Good to be here with Steve Martin as well, another colleague in the State Parliament. And this year is really special for Pollie Pedal because it's the first time it's in Western Australia. For us in WA it's a long way to go over the east and so this year Angus and Tony Abbott decided to bring it to WA and so it's a really great opportunity to see the great southwest which is what we're doing. We started in Perth, went to Mandurah, my hometown, now Busselton, off to Margaret River, then up to Nannup, Collie, Pinjarra and back up to the city. So, it's a thousand kilometres in about seven days and what we're doing is of course raising money for veterans so we can support them as they transition from uniform into civilian life by providing educational opportunities.

JOURNALIST: Is there any reason in particular that you chose to do the ride?

ANDREW HASTIE: Look I like cycling; I picked up cycling during the pandemic, but the thing I've discovered, I always thought it was an individual sport, but it's actually a real team sport. We all get tired at some points and there's a strong breeze at times and so you learn to rely on each other and that's also why we've got veterans on this ride as well it's a great way for them to reconnect and build new friendships.

JOURNALIST: And do you think the veterans are doing a better job than you guys? Or...

ANDREW HASTIE: Well, you know there's some very strong riders. Quentin’s doing alright he was one of my first bosses in the army, but Steve Martin was a surprise. He's got legs on him, so you know there’s a mix of people. We’ve even got someone from the Pinjarra refinery from Alcoa, Alcoa a sponsor, and it's great to have someone from their organisation on the ride today. He's probably the fittest bloke here, although Angus might dispute that. Thank you.

ENDS.