Shadow Minister for Regional Health, Shadow Minister for Regional Communications - Member for Mallee - Transcript - Sky News - Kenny with Chris Uhlmann - Monday 8 June 2026

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‍DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL HEALTH

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

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TOPICS: Newspoll, Labor Government performance, Coalition performance, net zero, renewable energy, Victorian Labor Government, property rights, business conditions, Victorian state election, divided conservative vote enhancing Labor prospects  

Uhlmann  

One Nation looms as an existential threat to The National Party. And joining me now is the Shadow Minister for Regional Health and federal member for the Victorian seat of Mallee, Dr. Anne Webster. Welcome.

Webster  

Thank you, Chris. Great to be with you.

Uhlmann  

What do you make of the latest Newspoll, and all the other polls, Anne, which point in one direction, which is that One Nation is essentially eating away at the Liberal and National parties?  

Webster  

It is curious to me. I've got to say, I don't know whether it's because they are conservative and therefore going after conservative seats - for the very reasons that you raised in your piece - is easier for them to do. I would certainly prefer that they go after Labor seats and knock out Labor, who, let's face it, they came to power in this last election built on a fabric of lies, and they have proven that now with walking back on CGT, negative gearing, all the things that continue to cause harm, as you rightly point out, to small businesses, certainly to farms, when you're talking about trusts, as well as negative gearing and CGT, and you're absolutely right, the regions are in a rage, they are angry, and I just loved that you said people are not powerless. It is so important that people understand that. I mean, I have so many people coming to me, Chris, and it has, in the past, over the last seven years that I've been in office been women who have said to me, I really don't, I really don't get into politics. I guarantee you that more people are paying attention to politics now. And thank goodness, because we need their voice. I cannot represent my people unless I'm hearing what they're saying.

Uhlmann  

And what are you hearing about One Nation in the region where you are, are you hearing that they feel that they've been betrayed by the Liberal and National parties, that they feel that this malaise in politics goes back a long way, it's not just the Labor Party?.

Webster  

I'm hearing that they're very angry now under Labor. I'm hearing that they are moving to One Nation all time, of course. Somebody said to me last week, it's the wave, or you know, I took it as it's the vibe, and you know, I understand that absolutely. I think people are wanting to be saved, they're looking for a saviour, our One Nation the saviour, I don't know, the series of governments, both under Labor and Liberal and Nationals, have not come up with good solutions to the problems that we now face. I think net zero was a huge mistake, and my region, in particular, is facing the consequence of that. We've obviously said we're walking away.  

Uhlmann  

Yeah, net zero was Scott Morrison's mistake, though, wasn't it? That was him going into the Glasgow Climate Change Summit, and supported, as I recall, by Barnaby Joyce?

Webster  

Correct. And we were told that, which I hope people remember, we were told that we would lose out on free trade agreements, that we would lose out in the global market space more generally if we didn't buy into net zero. Now, I don't think that's true. I think you know I've seen plenty of your material on this. I've certainly been saying it for a long time, and Matt Canavan, our leader, has certainly been saying that we should not be going down this track and I'm really pleased to see that Libs and Nats together have stood against it.

Uhlmann  

Now you've got some large renewable energy zones in your electorate. Tell us what's happening there. How far have they progressed and what's the feeling of the landowners?

Webster  

Well, the feeling of the landowners is anger, pure anger, and I so don't blame them. The Victorian Labor Party has railroaded my communities, and you're well aware of this, in terms of the renewable energy zones, I've got three in my electorate, three energy zones, the VNI West. We have said we will not fund ... Angus Taylor has come out and said that we will not be funding Rewiring the Nation. I think that's a hallelujah moment, because it is a huge mistake, and Labor have not been up front with Victorians or Australians about what this is all costing us. We can all see it in our bills, but I tell you what, we're not there yet.

Uhlmann  

And how far progressed are they? Because we're seeing some now that aren't going forward, because wind has become essentially an economic liability for people who are getting into it?

Webster  

Well, this is true. I think the cost-benefit analysis is somewhat chunky on the whole deal, frankly, the transmission lines the Labor Party in Victoria are trying to railroad through. Two of my farmers have been charged this week with, because they called triple zero, because VicGrid were trespassing on their land. I mean, honestly, this is about biosecurity. It is about land rights. It's about a whole range of things that the Victorian Labor Party have just trashed, absolutely trashed in Victoria. And November can't come quick enough, and we need to see a government that actually respects people's rights and people's property rights and values agriculture.

Uhlmann  

Do you think that the further and further these projects get behind, the more and more we're going to see more onerous government intervention to make sure that they do go ahead, because they will have to be forced if they come up against the pinch point, which is they need the energy, they need to get the energy into the grid.

Webster  

Yeah, well, absolutely right. And I would like to think that the government will change in Victoria, and therefore these onerous requirements, these targets will not be continually sought, that it will all stop, that there will be a rethink about the energy grid, moreover, and that we will be looking at coal, we will be looking at nuclear, that change will come because we're not seeing success, and you know, you spoke in your piece up front about manufacturing walking away, and you know we're seeing investment, foreign investment, even reconsidering their options about coming to Australia for other reasons, but also because energy is so expensive, let alone IR, red tape, all the other things.

Uhlmann  

Do you think the Liberals have any realistic chance in Victoria? Because they spent the last three years essentially prorating their incompetence and their division. So, isn't it a bit late now to be making a comeback? Can they win?

Webster  

I think that the Victorian Liberal Party is in the best position it's been in over the last three years. It has not been glorious, and my hope is that The Nationals and the Liberals will be ambitious and will be going for as many seats as they can. I know Andrew Lethlean, who stood for Bendigo in the federal election last year, you know, missed out by 10 per cent or some small number. Anyway, he was very, very close to beating the incumbent, and my hope is that he will move Jacinta Allan aside and take her space.

Uhlmann  

And what about One Nation taking your space when it comes to voting in Victoria, what if that right-hand side of politics collapses and fractures, and it just re-elects another Labor government?

Webster  

Well, I do despair about that. I do despair that people don't understand how the politics will play out. It's not just a matter of preferences, it is also who you're going to be voting for, and that is a real risk. It is a risk that Labor will get back in, not because they're popular, just because the conservative vote is split in so many ways. So, I'm hoping that people will see reason. I know that plenty of farmers and farming communities in my electorate are very angry, and you know, want to throw the whole system out, and I understand that, but you want a government that can form government, you want parties that can form government in order to change where we are at and where, how we have suffered over the last 10 years.

Uhlmann  

And do you think that people might think in your electorate, though, that they elect a Liberal party that nothing actually will change? There's certainly no push that I can see for them to have another coal-fired power plant, or to say anything really that flies in the face of the prevailing orthodoxy on all these sorts of things.

Webster  

Well, I think the Liberal Party needs to be courageous. I think every party in this, in this time, where One Nation is, you know, at the doorstep, so to speak. I think that the conservative right needs to be courageous. I think the Liberal Party and The National Party needs to take courage and step up, because the people are crying out for it, and we have to listen. If we want change, we have got to listen and respond.

Uhlmann  

Dr. Anne Webster. Thank you.

Webster  

Thank you, Chris.

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