Shadow Minister for Regional Health, Shadow Minister for Regional Communications - Member for Mallee - Transcript - Panel with James Macpherson and Michael Danby on 'The Macpherson Angle' - News24 - Sunday 18 October 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:  Labor cabinet’s lack of small business experience, small business sentiment, party pre-selections, life experience, Victorian state election

MacPherson  

Joining me now is former Labor MP Michael Danby and Shadow Regional Health Minister Anne Webster. Welcome to you both, Anne. I'll start with you. Is there a connection between the lack of real-world experience of the political class and the problems we're seeing in the real world as a result of government decisions?

Webster  

Well, James, I am not going to disagree with you. There is clearly a disconnect when you've got three ministers out of 23 who have small business experience, and even today I was talking with a cafe owner, and they had he was talking about the surcharge and the fact that they had decided that they would just have to manage it and put up prices because the government's idea is that they could just, you know, cover the surcharge. He said it's they've worked out it's $60,000 a year just for the surcharge. That's one of their waitstaff they can't employ, and this is the kind of disconnect, as you rightly say, that our ministers have and the treasurer has between the real world and those who are actually doing it tough on the line, managing all of the red tape, managing fuel costs going up, and paying fuel surcharges, so that what they're buying into the business is also costing them so dearly that they're having to just put up their prices.

MacPherson  

I tell you what, Anne. If you want to have your ear chewed off for 15 minutes, just do as I did, and I went into my local cafe and I met the owner inadvertently, and I told him I worked for News24. Well, for the next 15 minutes, I sat there waiting for my coffee while he told me all of his woes. And I'm not calling him a whinger. He was justified in everything he was saying. But I tell you what, he could not unload enough to me how angry he is at this government. And then a few days later, I went to a different cafe. Exactly the same experience. Michael, has it always been the case that politicians lack real-world experience, or is is this sort of a new problem unique to our generation?

Danby  

It's got much worse, James. Paul Keating ran a rock band. Barry Cohen ran a menswear shop. I ran my late mother's art gallery for a little while, but the real point is, people lack wider world experience. What people are getting at is, you know, they don't have experience of real life. This caucus is the most ministerial staffers and electoral staffers that have ever been, and not coincidentally, they're the most gormless ... power shifts, like the change in the rules for electing the Prime Minister, the Rudd rules, and the secret power grab of Albo and Andrews during COVID to control all pre-selections have meant that this is a Labor caucus that won't challenge the Prime Minister or the Treasurer when they make clearly ridiculous decisions, which they would hear, James, when they go down to the coffee shop, just like you.

MacPherson  

Anne, you're not that long in politics. Just remind me how long ago you were selected.

Webster  

This is my eighth year, 2019.

MacPherson  

Okay, so eight years. So, you went into politics when you're about 19 years old. I .. I was talking I was talking to Barnaby Joyce one day, and my son was with me, and I had to leave, and so my son was on his own with Barnaby Joyce for about 20 minutes. I must say, I came back into the room after 20 minutes, and before I even got to the room, I could hear the howls of laughter. Barnaby was entertaining my son with all sorts of stories, but on the way home, I said to my son, "What did Barnaby Joyce talk to you about? And he said, "Well, Dad, one of the things he told me is if I ever wanted to go into politics, he told me get a real job first, and then after you've done a real job, go into politics. I think that's probably pretty good advice, and One Nation, I certainly ... I'm not expecting you to stand up for One Nation here, by the way, but that's been one of the selling points that One Nation have tried to convince people to vote for them on, isn't it? That well, look, our candidates might not have political experience, but that might be a good thing, and they've got a bit of a point there.

Webster  

Ah, 100 per cent, yes, you're right. I didn't come in at 19. Sorry to burst that bubble, but I certainly have a lot of life experience prior, and it is so valuable. Sometimes I look at the very young ones who are in there and I think, what experience have they got of the real world? Like ... honestly, it just makes so much difference to your character, to your ability to face and hear what people have to say without becoming defensive, but actually, you know, engaging with people and wanting to help them. This is our job. I've said it to you before, James. This is our job to hear what people have to say and advocate to think about strategically how we're going to make life better.  

MacPherson  

The Herald Sun is reporting this morning that the Labor Party in Victoria looks increasingly likely to finish third in the state election behind One Nation. So it's possible Victoria will end up with a Liberal government. One Nation is the official opposition, and the Labor Party hanging around the margins. Now, as I said in the introduction, this report comes as the Victorian Liberals insist One Nation leader Warren Pickering should not be allowed to participate in this week's leaders' debate. If I could just go back to you, Anne. First, is Jess Wilson right to insist Warren Pickering should not be part of the debate?

Webster  

Look, I think the issue here is people get caught up in the polls and they see the orange wave coming through and therefore means power. Well, no, it doesn't. In Victoria, One Nation have one seat. One seat. We have a Labor Party in power, 69 seats, and the Coalition in power. Forgive me, I'm not in the state government, I believe it's around 44. I'm happy to be corrected, and the Greens have six. If you're going to go by the potential for leadership, it really has to be - has to be - on the current government and the Coalition and Labor are the foes, if you like.  Those who should be facing off against one another, they shouldn't just... One Nation should not just be getting a free pass to pretend that they are equal to when they have not yet won seats.

MacPherson  

What do you think, Michael? Do you take the same view?

Danby  

No, I think Pickering should be given a guernsey. I think they're not doing as well here in Victoria, One Nation. Although Pickering is an admirable character, he was in the army, like my friend Mike Kelly. I was in the army reserve. That wider experience we were talking about before, all does people well. So I think they'll still get the Liberals elected with their preferences, and I would be surprised if Labor doesn't end up the Opposition, despite that one poll, but I do think they should be given the ability to to speak up. The problem is, James, I'm not convinced that Labor will lose so catastrophically. I think they'll lose a lot of seats and end up relying on the Green political party, which you've seen so odiously described in the media this last few days as a partner in a future Victorian socialist left - stroke - Greens government.

MacPherson  

Just what Victoria needs. You guys are both in Victoria. Hey, listen, I got to go to a break, but let me make both of you this offer. If you need to come up and stay at our place for a bit just to get away, if that happens, both of you are always welcome at our place any time you like. Thanks so much for joining me.

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