‍DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

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

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

TOPICS: Australia's COP31 bid, taxpayer funding of Environmental Defenders Office, productivity, lawfare

Kenny

I want to stay in Canberra though now and catch up on political developments and I'm joined by Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Anne Webster. Anne, thanks for joining us. You were caught in a division, you would have missed the start of the show where I outlined the Albanese Labor government’s, and the Malinauskas Labor government’s, billion dollar bid to host the COP31 climate talkfest in Australia next year. Surely this shouldn't go ahead. Surely, there are better ways to spend a billion dollars?

Webster  

Well, once again, we see the Prime Minister now joined by the South Australian premier seeking to strut on the world stage at our expense, as taxpayers expense, $1 billion - you know, the rush for renewables, the rush to hit targets they'll never meet, and they want to bring it here so that they can show off what a great job we're doing. It reminds me of the boy that pulls out the plum, you know.

Kenny  

Yes, indeed. I just can't believe it – look, I hope it goes ahead, because I think it'll bring shame on them and shame on those involved in it. But it looks like maybe, maybe Turkey won't back down and it'll go to Germany anyway. We shall see. In a related matter, I want you to tell me about the Environmental Defenders Office. This is an office that's had government funding, it was withdrawn under the Coalition government some years ago, but now getting $11 million of taxpayers’ money. It's run by a bunch of activists. We've exposed that before, essentially spending government money to take legal action against projects and developments that have already been approved by government. It's like government, taxpayers’ money working against taxpayers' interests. How can this go on?

Webster

Look, absolutely. I mean, it honestly does your head in the government continue to talk about productivity. We talk about productivity because they're doing such a bad job, down to 0.7 per cent and not getting any better anytime soon, and they fund EDO $11 million. We said at the last election that we would defund the EDO for a very good reason, because we actually do care about productivity on our side of the house, and we don't want to see those big businesses, the people who are providing the jobs and the security to our regional communities in particular, obviously, my particular passion, we don't want to see them stop. We don't want to see businesses go overseas. We don't want to see manufacturers give up. And this is all part of the mess, the cobweb of mess that Labor have created.

Kenny

Well, it's actually a corruption of the process, when you think about it, because government is supposed to weigh up all these decisions and make decisions, but after considering environmental aspects or indigenous aspects, and they're supposed to stand by that decision. Now, if someone else wants to challenge it, fine, but they're actually funding, with government money, an activist body to come and challenge their own decision.

Webster  

I know it's absolutely crazy. You wouldn't actually dream it up in your own head, but you know this is what they're doing.

Kenny  

Yeah, you'd tear your head out. Well, you tear your hair out. And as you can see, in my case, I've been doing that for a long while. Thanks for joining us. Anne. Anne Webster, the Nationals member for Mallee and the shadow Regional Development Minister.

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