My heart was bursting with pride in Wimmera and Mallee farmers even though my duties in the first sitting fortnight of the 48th Parliament required me to be over 600 kilometres away from Melbourne when farmers protested in Spring Street against the Allan Labor Government.

While draconian new powers apply to VNI West to the east of your readership, there are some very important principles in play.

First is the fundamental democratic foundation of personal property rights.  At the behest of the Albanese Labor Government’s ‘Rewiring the Nation’ radical plan for 28,000 kilometres of new transmission lines for the fading ‘net zero’ fantasy, the Allan Labor Government wants to impose $12,000+ fines on farmers who refuse TCV access to build hundreds of kilometres of VNI West transmission line in Mallee.

Farmers are already smarting from Labor’s double-whammy tax attack on their farms through the deeply unpopular ‘emergency services volunteer fund’ levy and Jim Chalmers’ super tax plans.  Both, in effect, tax gains in farm value when there is no intention to sell the farm, let alone money arriving in the bank account.  Drought and rain-deficient Wimmera farmers made their point loud and clear on the Allan Labor Government’s levy and yet 1 year’s reprieve is all you have – so far.  

The second important principle here is solidarity.  I am so impressed by the local action groups allying with others to make their point loud and clear in Spring Street and in Canberra, and I stand shoulder to shoulder with them.  

Mallee’s Biggest Survey results so far show very strong support from across the community for our farmers and their property rights.  I encourage you, if you haven’t sent yours in, to use the envelope I sent you, or complete the Survey at annewebster.com.au.  Your voice matters and our unity on the issues reinforces how strongly I can push for you in Canberra.  

The undisciplined new Labor MPs laughed when I shared your views in Canberra this fortnight and the more of your united views I receive, the more arrogant and full of hubris the Albanese Labor Government looks.