Member for Mallee - Transcript - Sky News - Wednesday 18 February 2026

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‍DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TERRITORIES

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

TOPICS: Abandoned solar project in central western NSW, energy subsidies, foreign-owned corporations’ tax paid in Australia, EnergyConnect cost pass-through application, rehabilitation obligations, household energy costs, tax transparency

KENNY

I showed you yesterday a problem with Labor's so called ‘green dream’ of the renewables transition. It's an abandoned solar farm at Jemalong, not far from Forbes in central western New South Wales. The ‘farm's owner, Vast Renewables, went to went into administration last year, leaving the plant to go to rack and ruin, and locals are up in arms. They’re concerned about the bush fire risk and, of course, public safety. The story attracted the interest of the Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Anne Webster, who joins us live from Mildura. Good to talk to you again, Anne, and congrats in hanging in the shadow cabinet! Now with that, we know there's a lot of concern about the renewables rollout in regional areas, but there aren't too many examples of abandoned projects like this one, are there?

WEBSTER

Well, you know, let's wait and see Chris. Great to talk with you again. Mallee has many, many projects, and in fact, across Victoria, we have 21 of the largest foreign owned wind and solar developments who pulled in almost $5 billion in revenue and consumer subsidies. Who is paying those subsidies? Us! And then we've got today, we find out that there's one of those foreign owned companies, Iberdrola, which is developing VNI-West in my patch, and owns other renewable developments. They brought in over $600 million in 2023/24 and apparently paid no tax. You know, where's the transparency? And then we've got EnergyConnect, who have gone over budget - shock, horror! - $1.1 billion over, and they've now applied for us to pay. Where does this stop? And how many businesses will go under and leave properties just like the one you showed last night?

KENNY

Well, this is the worry, isn't it? There's so many taxpayer dollars involved in this, so many subsidies. For instance, we know a heap of hydrogen projects have sucked up the government subsidies, and then they've scrapped them. So, obviously, our money disappears there. On some of that we don't get it all back. There must not be the incentives there either. When people have built these renewables plants, once they've got the subsidies, maybe they're not so interested in running them? Maybe they're happy to see some of them go to rack and ruin?

WEBSTER

well, you know, I personally think that there should be a bond-like process - as applies to mining - where sites need to be rehabilitated at the end of the mine life, you know, there needs to be more responsibility taken by the companies and certainly by the government, to ensure that taxpayers are just not bleeding out of their pockets, dollar after dollar after dollar. My daughter showed me her energy bill today, $784 for one month. One month! You know, young family, four kids. This is crazy!

KENNY

Well, this is the point, right? The company that's gone bust here, Vast Renewables, they've soaked up $300 million in taxpayer subsidies - now, not for that specific solar farm. That's just one small venture, but for others as well. Yet this solar farm, we're short of energy. We're told that renewables are the cheapest form of energy. Yet it wasn't obviously, it couldn't trade through and it's gone to rack and ruin. What's happened to all the subsidies? And why doesn't the solar farm work, or why isn't it worth keeping in operation?

WEBSTER

Absolutely excellent questions. I think there needs to be some FOIs about all of these businesses and the taxes that they're not paying. Twiggy Forrest? Hello? Australian dollars, our dollars, hard earned and going towards these projects. And look, my farming community is still absolutely and rightfully angry about the process that the Victorian Government has taken them through and taken away their rights. This is a shamozzle. There is no way to describe it.

KENNY

We will keep on it. Anne, thanks for joining us. We'll catch up again. Anne Webster, the Shadow Minister for Regional Development.

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