‍DR ANNE WEBSTER MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL HEALTH
SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

TOPICS: Member for Canning, Senator Hanson, Ben Roberts-Smith trial, satirical video, supporting veterans, Labor’s $5,000 annual cap on veterans’ allied health services, gas reservation policy

Bond  

Now I'm sure you've seen this war of words between Andrew Hastie and One Nation. Of course, it's not new; it's been going on for a while, but it's blown up over one of their "Please Explain" cartoons from July, mind you, which referred to Mr. Hastie as a ‘traitor’. Opposition leader Angus Taylor backed Mr Hastie’s call today for the cartoon to be taken down. Now, Pauline Hanson appeared on this program with Chris Kenny last night. She was pretty unequivocal in saying that she wouldn't take it down.

Hanson  

He's the one who's got his knickers in a knot. He's the one who's carrying on.

Kenny  

Will you own those words and delete the cartoon, or do you stand by them?

Hanson  

No, I'm not going to delete the cartoon. It is a satirical cartoon. For Christ's sake, Barnaby Joyce was was classified as a beetroot. He's now part of the party.

Bond  

Well, Hastie responded this morning. He didn't mince his words.

Hastie  

I think that shows Pauline Hanson to be weak and glass jawed. I asked a simple request: either own your words, own the fact that you've called me a traitor, or take down the cartoon. She's done neither. This isn’t Aggro's Cartoon Connection. This is Parliament House with serious people.

Bond  

Now, look. Part of this is obviously about the fact that he testified against Ben Roberts-Smith in his defamation case, and I think it's worth noting that he was subpoenaed to give evidence in that case, and I think it's pretty poor, really, to describe a former SAS soldier as a traitor, regardless of what you think of everything that's happened around BRS. And I'm on the record as defending him. But also, this fighting between the Coalition and One Nation just plays straight into the government's hands. Joining me now from Canberra is Shadow Regional Health Minister Anne Webster. Anne, what have you made of all of this? Do you know why this has come up now? Given that the video came out in July, why now in September has this become an issue?

Webster  

Well, Caleb, I was not actually aware of the video. I don't take to watching the One Nation cartoons, but I did last night. I happened to be in this studio, and Pauline was in the seat I'm occupying at the moment, and I saw that she was extremely upset and was not going to back down. She wasn't going to take the cartoon down. She said that she wasn't calling Andrew Hastie a traitor with regard to the BRS, that the cartoon didn't say that. I mean, honestly, I then went home and I watched the cartoon. I thought - I need to be informed. It's always a very good practice, and it was absolutely about the BRS and the fact that Andrew Hastie, as an SAS, you know, war hero, he's been there, he's done that, he's a war veteran, has been taken down by One Nation in this way. I don't blame him for being upset. I can't comment about the timing. I don't understand that. But you know, I think Angus Taylor is perfectly right to stand with Andrew and ask One Nation to take it down. It's completely inappropriate.

Bond  

What is the resolution to this? Is it taking down the video, or is there something else that you think the Coalition and Mr Hastie would be willing to accept?

Webster  

Well, I don't know what Andrew would be willing to accept. You'd have to have that conversation with him. But obviously, Angus has stood with Andrew, calling for the cartoon to be taken down. I think it's entirely appropriate that that take place. We've had a lot, you know, being said about veteran suicide. We've had a lot to do with, in the last few weeks, we've been talking about the veteran $5,000 cap that this government, that the Labor government, has put on veterans' care, which is long term care that they need. We have been standing fast that the Labor government need to lift that cap, take it away. There is no good reason for it to be happening. That should be our focus right now, not a cartoon, not a war with One Nation, and that is what the Coalition has been fighting for - that the Labor government ... that Matt Keogh step aside for managing our veterans so badly, and you know Pauline risks being lumped in with the Labor government in terms of how she is treating one of our you know acclaimed veterans.

Bond  

Well, I certainly agree. We should be keeping our eye on the prize, and that all of this I don't think does anything to help either party on the right of politics in Australia at the moment. I do want to ask you about the government today has revealed that its gas reservation policy, which we thought was going to be, and they'd previously said a minute. 20 per cent reserve that gas exporters had to keep for Australian use. They now say it would be up to 20 per cent - so it's clearly been watered down. I mean, what is up to 20 per cent,  1  per cent,  half a per cent? I don't know.

Webster  

Ah, exactly. What do they mean? What we're seeing from the Labor government is this constant, you know, headline story, headline legislation, and they want to push it through the House, push it through the Senate. If you're lucky, you get a two-week inquiry where they're going to now talk to stakeholders. I mean, for goodness' sake, the appropriate way to develop legislation is talk to stakeholders in the first place. Right now, what we really need is an increase in supply, and that is the Coalition's position: is that we want to see supply increase. What we've got in Victoria is, and I groan because everybody in Victoria is groaning under the current Labor government, you know you're not permitted to put new gas appliances in your home. You have to go electric. That is the wish of the government. Every day under Labour feels more and more like George Orwell's 1984. Honestly!

Bond  

Indeed, Anne Webster. Good to see you as always.

Webster  

Thank you.

‍