Murray Valley winegrape growers face serious economic risks from water buybacks, the Member for Mallee told Federal Parliament last night, as debate heats up on Labor’s agricultural policies in the final sitting fortnight before Easter. “The looming threats of forced exits, water buybacks and widespread vineyard abandonment pose not only economic risks but also significant…
A few months ago, I wrote to my constituents across Mallee to ask them how they were going in this cost-of-living crisis. Their stories were harrowing, with many going without meals—if you can call toast a meal. The Albanese Labor government have been distracted with pet projects, and rewarding the union movement and others that…
Victorian Labor will fast track renewables projects in spite of community opposition through heavy handed new development rules, Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster says. Premier Jacinta Allan announced all new renewable projects in Victoria will be treated as “significant economic development”, railroading Mallee farmers and their communities and giving them no right of appeal.…
Labor’s election pledge to reduce household electricity bills by $275 is set to be another broken promise unless the upcoming regulated price decreases by more than $1200, Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster says. The upcoming draft Default Market Offer, released by the Australian Energy Regulator, will announce the ‘reference price’ for electricity bills in…
Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster is calling for public support she says is vital to reduce the number of heavy vehicles travelling down Mildura’s Deakin Avenue. “Almost every minute of the day, one heavy vehicle now travels the Sturt Highway through Mildura. Anecdotally we are seeing more and more B-Doubles and B-Triples rumbling down…
One thousand Vietnamese farm labourers will arrive in Australia this year under The Nationals’ dedicated Ag Visa, Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster said. “I fought hard for the Ag visa as part of the former Coalition Government, it was a disgrace that Labor abandoned regional growers and scrapped the visa despite a memorandum of…
The proponents of the VNI West transmission line have belled the cat that they never intended to listen to farmers in the firing line, Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster said this morning, after an eleventh hour withdrawal from talks she had organised in Tragowel and St Arnaud today. “I am disgusted that this government-run…
Facebook owner Meta’s decision to stop paying news publishers for content should sound the alarm bell for regional media outlets, Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster says. The former Coalition government passed legislation in 2021 requiring platforms like Meta to pay Australian news outlets for content shared on their platforms. Meta’s media payment deals were…
Labor’s fresh food tax risks Mallee farmers’ productivity and Australia’s $100 billion goal for farm gate output by 2030, Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster says. While Australia’s gross value of agricultural production had increased by about 51 per cent in the past 20 years, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences…
Victorian Labor’s attempt to again reboot consultation on transmission lines is an admission consultation has failed abysmally on VNI-West, Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster says. The Allan Labor Government has introduced a Bill to establish VicGrid, claiming the new brand will ‘modernise the way new energy infrastructure is planned and developed in Victoria while…