‍DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

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

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

TOPICS: 

‍Renewable energy, power prices, financial stress, ISIS brides, Minister Burke, transparency, Senate estimates, Victorian farmers, transmission projects, net zero, social cost, mental health

Kenny  

Let's go now to the Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Anne Webster, who joins us from Mildura. Good to talk to you again. Anne, just on that this argument about renewals, the government and its apologists trying to pretend that it's not the renewables transition pushing up prices. Surely we're starting to get some reality into this debate?

Webster  

Well, Chris, you would hope so. The reality is that people are hurting every day. They cannot pay their bills. We've got more people in stress because of their energy bills - as in, financial stress - and that data is being collected, and yet we have the government in fantasy land continuing to push their ideological policy, which is just going to keep on hurting Australians. It makes no sense, and I really do - I'm actually glad that you challenged ChatGPT, I have to do the same thing myself and got a more honest answer about what has been happening, because Australians know it in their hearts.

Kenny  

Yeah, well, they're seeing it in their bills, and this is where the government, the government, wants to tell us all it's saving the planet and reducing emissions - fine - but don't pretend there's not a price for this. Don't pretend that's not what's driving up our prices, because we all know it is. Now let's get to the latest events and a lot of focus today on ISIS brides. Surely these ISIS brides, going on past behaviour when the Coalition was in government, you would have let them in as well if they're Australian citizens. I think the question here is, surely, whether Tony Burke has been as frank with the public as he should have been?

Webster  

Well, that is the question, and clearly he has not been as frank as Australians expect him to be. I've got to say, you know, you mentioned the word spin before, and Labor are incredibly good at the spin and not so good at the open, transparent, you know, integrity … government of integrity? … which they promised us to be, but we find time and time again that they're just not being up front.

Kenny  

Yeah, it seems pretty clear that while they didn't fly these people out here, they gave them advice about what they would need to do and how they would be treated upon arrival, and they alerted police to the fact that they were coming, because the security agencies needed to be involved. Why wouldn't you just be up front and explain to people that that's what you're doing?

Webster  

Well, it's clear that when Tony Burke had Save The Children and departmental people in his office that he sent out the departmental person to have, you know, a more ‘frank’ conversation. What does that mean? And we don't know, because we weren't in the office, but the Australian public should know, and any form of assistance ought to be called exactly that. I don't buy that it was just visas, as you would expect, as we would do, because they're, as you say, Australian citizens. But this … I'm really glad for Senate estimates. Let me put it that way. I think Senate estimates at least there is a chance for departments to be probed and for deeper questioning - which should happen - I mean, Tony Burke doesn't do in the house.

Kenny  

I gotta admit, it's not often. I wish I was a senator, but every time I watch Estimates, I think that would be fun. I'd like to be drilling in with those questions. Just quickly, I want to get back to energy, because I know this is close to your heart, and that is, there's some farmers in Victoria blocking access to transmission projects, people trying to build them and design them in their neighbourhood. You've got a lot of people in your electorate affected by the renewables build-out in the end, the rights of the farmers are going to be trampled, aren't they?

Webster  

Well, the Victorian Government is certainly ensuring that that takes place, but you know, they need to have a court order to enter the farmer's property, and they need the police with them. And the police are certainly not attending these standoffs, that's what I would call them, where farmers are inside the gate. And I believe Ben Duxson yesterday had around 400 farmers. I mean, this is a farming community, you know, they watch each other's backs, and they are standing with one another because no farmers want this. I saw yesterday in Gippsland, West Gippsland, they are having exactly the same problem. The government doesn't care. They don't want to listen to … you brought out before all the economic issues, absolutely valid about net zero and the aim for net zero, what about the social cost? This is extraordinary, the amount of damage. And, you know, Labor like to do the spin about mental health. Well, you know - they're causing it. Another skill they have : create a problem and then say that they're solving it.

Kenny  

Thanks for joining us, Anne, appreciate it. Anne Webster, there Member for Mallee, joining us from that neck of the woods.

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