‍DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TERRITORIES
SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

TRANSCRIPT

TOPICS:  Victorian Energy Minister in Wycheproof – Farmer protest – Railroading of regional communities – Drought-like conditions in western Victoria – Fodder supply issues

KENNY  

Let’s go to rural Victoria now and in fact the city of Mildura and catch up with Anne Webster MP the Shadow Minister for Regional Development. Thanks for joining us Anne, good to catch up with you. While all this is going on, one of the big fights in regional Australia remains the renewable energy rollout which Labor is set to ramp up even further in its second term. Tell us what’s going on in regional communities are actually getting a say as to what’s happening in their environments.

WEBSTER

Well, Chris, it's great to be with you, and it's a really good question. Are they getting a say? Well, yesterday, Lily D'Ambrosio, the Minister for energy in Victoria, travelled to Wycheproof. I'll give her a tick for that. She was there to meet with local community, but it was a very controlled meeting, and with some Shire people present, they tried to explain to her - she said she was there to listen - so they tried to explain to her how damaging this whole renewables rollout, the railroading of their communities, the dividing up of their communities, the impact it is having on mental health and on people's sense of wellbeing. She listened – apparently - for that entire meeting, and at the end, she said, “Well, it's going to happen anyway”, and that was it ...

KENNY

Wow

WEBSTER

... so if that's what the Victorian Government thinks, is consultation, somebody needs to give them a lesson in what consultation really is all about. Tomorrow we have Vicgrid coming to Wycheproof, again, the centre of the universe, and there will be five shires present and apparently, VicGrid is going to be making a big announcement. Now, what would that be? Given the goals that Victoria has of reaching 95 per cent renewables by 2035.  You know, they really want to power ahead with this, and farmers that I've been talking to today are planning a protest so tomorrow, Wycheproof Shire Hall, 10:30am I'll give a plug for the protest …

KENNY

Why not

WEBSTER

… to have your say?

KENNY  

Look, there's an extraordinary - there's an extraordinary contrast here, and an extraordinary ideological divide, because state and federal governments will knock over mining projects and other manufacturing or industrial projects at the hint of any Aboriginal protest or environmental protest, even if they've got the environmental ticks or the approval from the legitimate Aboriginal group, something else comes up and they knock over gold mines and the like. But with renewable energy, they don't worry about objections. They just barrel on through.

WEBSTER

It is honestly mind-bending that the Victorian Government and Chris Bowen at a federal level, are now powering on in his second term to get this job done. Let's face it, all their targets are in place and they can't fail. The problem is they're failing regional communities, and it's regional communities that are bearing the brunt. I can tell you right now, I'm sad when I go through the community and I meet with people who've been generational farmers. They're part of their community, they love their community, and they have always been part of investing in their community. There are people who no longer talk to one another. There are those who are pro, those who are against, and the pain is evident, and the governments are just not listening.

KENNY

Well, it's sad and look, some people who have them on their property make a lot of money out of it. The people next door don't get the money, but have to put up with the eyesore. So that's why it divides communities.

Just briefly before I let you go. I know there's been a been a bit of rain. There's some more coming through. Is any of it drought busting?

WEBSTER

I wouldn't say it's drought busting necessarily. There are some sections of my electorate that have received 20 mils,

KENNy

Great

WEBSTER

…. but farmers tell me there are some little shoots, but it's certainly … we're seeing a lot of ewes with their lambs. The lambs are dying. I was talking with a farmer today, and she said they just cannot get fodder for their sheep. It's incredibly sad and very difficult, like, the toll on our farmers is enormous.

KENNY

Yeah, you're going to need a lot of fodder to get through winter, and they need the money to get it, and they need the fodder. There's not much around. Thanks for joining us Anne, appreciate it

Anne Webster there, who’s the Coalition's spokesperson for regional communities.

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