Australia’s deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, had told a constituent in Wagga Wagga he disputed evidence of global heating because historical weather measurements might be inaccurate, according to notes from a meeting last month.

The Wagga City Council, at the heart of McCormack’s electorate, declared a climate change emergency last week.

The remarkable statement by the city leaders, in a normally conservative part of the country susceptible to extremes of drought, fire and flood, has intensified local pressure on McCormack to clarify his position. The deputy prime minister has previously made some sceptical statements and has suggested praying for rain to combat the drought.

Wagga-based general practitioner Dr Trudi Beck, who has been central to a community push for the council’s climate emergency declaration, met McCormack at his office on 24 June.

In notes she made immediately after the meeting, which she sent to McCormack and which were noted by a staffer who was present, Beck detailed comments made by the Riverina MP.

“When asked if [McCormack believed] in climate change [he] stated that the climate has always been changing and made reference to various flood and drought events over the past 120 years,” the meeting notes say.

“When asked what [McCormack] would make of data from meteorological agencies that 18 of the 19 hottest years on record have been in the last 18 years [he] suggested that earlier measurements of temperature by agencies such as the Bureau of Meteorology were not as accurately measured.”

Beck and other community members in Wagga have begun “Fridays for the Future” demonstrations, where they picnic in a small park near McCormack’s office. Beck says the deputy prime minister told her she should abandon the actions and “do something useful like volunteer for Meals on Wheels instead”.

McCormack told Guardian Australia that “a meeting was held with a constituent at her request to discuss climate” but did not elaborate when asked about his purported comments, or to make clear his personal view.

“There was an exchange of views and the constituent was given an understanding of the government’s actions on climate. The government is taking responsible and affordable action on environmental issues which are of concern to people not just in Wagga Wagga but throughout Australia,” he said.

“This has to be achieved in a responsible manner without de-industrialising our nation and driving energy costs through the roof.”

Beck said she had initially thought McCormack would be open to a conversation.

“The kinds of points he was raising with me were the same kinds of points I’ve heard people who do not believe in anthropogenic climate change bringing up,” she said.

The Wagga city council will vote again on Monday, after some councillors launched an attempt to rescind the emergency declaration. McCormack did not express a view on the local debate but did say that “addressing global environmental issues, including those relating to climate, requires a global solution”.