Shadow Minister for Regional Health, Shadow Minister for Regional Communications - Member for Mallee - Transcript - Sky News - Pete Stefanovic - Tuesday 7 July 2026

‍

‍DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL HEALTH

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

‍

TOPICS: Leader of the Opposition comments on One Nation Party, Pauline Hanson reaction, Labor impact on small business and investment, policy development, Coalition record in government, net zero

‍

Bond  

Opposition leader Angus Taylor has doubled down on his criticism of One Nation after a strident speech last night, in which he described the party as a column of smoke, compared them to the Greens, and said they'd unleash an eternity of pain. This is a little bit of that speech at the Sydney Institute.

Taylor  

I understand why some Australians think the way out is to blow the place up, but to those who feel like lighting a match, believe me when I say that a moment of satisfaction isn't worth the eternity of pain that will follow. One Nation claims to offer a way out of our national malaise. In reality, they would only make things worse.

Bond  

As I said last night, a moment of satisfaction is not worth the eternal pain. It's like the political equivalent of a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. But that then prompted this response from Pauline Hanson.

Hanson  

Well, I'm still in London, but I've heard a lot of feedback about Angus Taylor's speech. People aren't happy with what he said, and his comments about One Nation and myself. I'm very disappointed with this. You know, Angus, I'm not your enemy. We both need to get rid of the Labor, the Greens' government. Let's work together. That's right. I keep saying all the time. The people of Australia are crying out for change. Listen to the people, Angus, and work with me. Stop denigrating One Nation and work together.

Bond  

And this morning, Mr. Taylor was on the attack again on the ABC, saying One Nation's policies were incoherent. And here on Sky News with Pete Stefanovic.

Stefanovic  

But aren't some of One Nation's policies your policies? Indexing the tax scale certainly is.

Taylor  

Well, you know, look, a lot of the time I don't really know what their policies are. They sort of wander around from one place to another.

Stefanovic  

But if you're alleging or claiming that their policies will drive up inflation, well, you've got some of their policies.

Taylor  

I'm not sure what you're referring to there, Peter.

Stefanovic  

Well, indexing the tax scale for one.

Taylor  

Sure.

Bond  

Now, I really don't understand what Mr. Taylor is playing at here. We asked him to come on this evening, but he wasn't available. But I don't get what the Liberal Party thinks it's going to achieve by attacking One Nation. Yes, One Nation is a threat to the Liberal Party and the Coalition. Yes, most of the people who now say they'd vote for One Nation were Coalition voters. But the reason they've gone to One Nation is because they're not happy with the Coalition. So, the Coalition attacking One Nation does two things: it confirms to these people why they've moved away from the Liberal and National parties, and it serves basically to insult their intelligence. I mean, Mr. Taylor is telling people who've gone to One Nation that they support a party that, in his words, has no clear sense of who they are or what they stand for. Now, if you believe in that party, then by extension, it means you're fine with that, and after being insulted in that manner by the party you've left behind, why would you be inclined to go back? I don't think any of this is going to work. Now, I understand from the Coalition's perspective that they can't be seen to cosy up to One Nation or publicly talk about doing deals with them because it would make them look weak. It would basically be conceding that the Coalition couldn't win an election on its own, and strategically, they don't want to look like they're the poor cousin. I get that, but these attacks make them look desperate anyway. Instead of dedicating all your time to going after the Albanese government, you're trying to sandbag votes on the right. As Ms Hanson says, you should have a common goal to defeat Labor, and the only thing that can win back votes for the Coalition is policy and vision that it calmly explains. I don't think there's any point in telling people that the other mob will blow the place up. That's actually what people want because they're sick of the status quo. They don't mind that there's not a big suite of policies. They don't mind that One Nation wants to blow the place up. They're actually asking for it. Joining me now is Shadow Regional Health Minister Anne Webster. Anne, is this the new tactic to attack One Nation?

Webster  

Look, I think that Angus is presenting the Coalition policies more broadly; that is his job, and to say what we are doing that is different to One Nation. Of course, there are changes that align, but you could even enter an argument about who came up with the idea first? We don't want to do that. We do agree with Pauline that we want to get rid of an incredibly bad Labor government that is hurting every Australian. Investors are leaving our shores. We have people who can't afford housing. We have not enough houses being built. We have taxes that are hurting people. Every day, somebody is telling me that they are sick of paying taxes and they're going to walk away from small business because of the Labor government. I agree with you, Caleb. This is about identifying how badly Labor is treating Australians. We know it. One Nation knows it. The one thing that I would say is I would really like to see One Nation, Pauline and the team, go after Labor seats, go after Green seats. Don't come after our seats. We're actually conservative parties. So, I think there's work to do for us in the next two years or however long the Prime Minister thinks he can go to an election and win it, and that's certainly up in the air for us on the Coalition side to be doing a lot of work. We are working on policies. I'm certainly working on policies for regional health and regional communications, and you know that's important work. We have to get it done.

Bond  

I mean, it's one thing to say that One Nation might go after Coalition seats, and I'm sure they probably will. But the change in the polling is currently happening without campaigning in any particular seat. This is just people of their own volition making up their mind based on what they've seen. And I take your point that you know you have policies, and they have policies, and some of the same and some differ, whatever. But amongst Angus Taylor talking about what the Coalition's policies might be or are, the headline today is not that - it's that he attacked One Nation because he did that amongst a speech that said many other things last night. So, is it not a problem to continue doing that because that is what is sucking up all of the media and public attention. It's not on your policies. It's the fact that you've gone after One Nation instead.

Webster  

Well, I think, as you know, Caleb, politics is a difficult space. What the media choose to pick up on, what those who hold grievance against everybody choose to pick up on ... I've certainly got texts today who are mad that Angus came out and said what he said about One Nation. I think he was quite deliberate in not speaking about Pauline. That's respectful. We have to be able to differentiate ourselves. That is his job. That is Matt Canavan's job. It's all of our jobs to ensure that over this next two-year period, our policies are clear, they're concise, they address where Australians are hurting and will make a significant difference. We do have runs on the board as the Coalition, and we can govern Australia well. Yes, we've made mistakes. Yes, Angus has spoken about that. But we are in a position now where very clearly have walked away from net zero. I, for one, for my electorate, are incredibly glad that we have done that because my farming communities are really hurting under Labor's railroading of regional communities. It's an ongoing battle. Labor are certainly relentless about it, and you know you've got to remember, and people need to remember that it was Barnaby Joyce who took us into net zero. He's now with One Nation.

Bond  

Yes, indeed, and this is look, and I'm sorry, Anne, that we're running out of time. But it's this stuff. It's the policy I think that needs to be prosecuted first and foremost. Anne Webster, good to see you as always, and thank you for joining me.

‍