Shadow Minister for Regional Health, Shadow Minister for Regional Communications - Member for Mallee - Transcript - Interview with James Macpherson 'The Macpherson Angle' - News24 - Sunday 6 September 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: Coalition pledge to ban desecreation of the Australian flag, freedom of speech, Australia Day, divisive Labor policies, Climate Change Authority misinformation crackdown, politicians' social media stunts

MacPherson  

Well, joining me now is Shadow Regional Health Minister Anne Webster. Anne, welcome to the program, great to have you. Angus Taylo today announced that a Coalition government would make it illegal to set the flag on fire, with flag arsonists being liable for up to a year in jail. Why is this important?

Webster  

Our flag, our national flag, is a symbol of our nation. It is something that unites us, regardless of your race, regardless of your colour, regardless of your history. And all new Australians love to stand right before that flag, it is something that is incredibly important. It signifies what we think of our nation. To have people who think it is okay to burn the flag shows their absolute disrespect, their lack of gratitude, and their appalling lack of insight into what they are doing. I think this move by Angus Taylor is fantastic. Of course, it's alongside our war memorials and monuments, and ensuring that those pieces of history - that we can all learn from,  our children should be learning from  - are important, and that our war veterans and those who are no longer with us are, you know, honoured, respected, and that things like graffiti and vandalism just will not be tolerated. I think it is a fantastic step forward, and I was really pleased to read about it today.

MacPherson  

I agree with you. I think it's a great policy. Just very quickly, what do you say to the people who say this is a breach of people's right to protest and a breach of their free speech? They should be allowed to burn the flag because our political freedoms should allow us to do such things? What's your response to that?

Webster  

People can have free speech without burning and desecrating symbols that are important to the majority of Australians. In in my electorate, I did a survey about Australia Day, and 4000 people responded. It was one of the questions. 87 per cent of people want Australia Day. People are absolutely proud of our nation, and so they should be. We have a wonderful nation, and we need to remember that we are going through incredibly difficult times. And it's easy to see everything, you know, as going down the toilet. Well, it's not, and our nation we should be proud of, and Australia Day is part of that, and new Australians just love it.

MacPherson  

You mentioned Australia Day. The Coalition is also planning to enshrine January 26 in law as Australia Day, which would mean the only way the date could ever be changed in the future would be through a national plebiscite. Is it safe to say the coalition is back in the culture wars after Scott Morrison famously said he wasn't interested in them?

Webster  

Look, I think politics, and particularly under the Labor government, I think we've seen culture wars happening from beginning to end. Whether it's the Voice, whether it is dividing in terms of age, for example, the private health insurance debacle that's going on at the moment, taxing young Australians -  CGT and other taxes, which which we have not had to live with. It's just warring factions that the Labor Party has set up. So, culture wars are something that Labor are very, very good at.  I think it is a good thing that we are stepping in to say, look, enough is enough. People want to live proud in their country. They want to be able to buy a home, they want to be able to invest in their kids. All the things that are being taken away under this Labor government. So you know, if that's us back in the culture wars, then you know, bring it on.

MacPherson  

Well, I mean, you lose every war that you don't fight, right? And it feels to me like conservatives have just lost continually in the culture wars because they vacated the space. So, you know, I would say to the Coalition, welcome back to the fight. Great to have you as part of it, and all power to you. Very quickly, what do you make of the Climate Change Authority announcing a crackdown on what it calls misinformation, designed to undermine climate action? Examples of misinformation they say could include discussion about how renewables adversely affects things like cost of living, energy prices, energy reliability, the environment, regional communities. What's worse to me - than the lies this government tells about power prices and renewables - is the demand we abandon reason and observation in service of their narrative. It's not just that they lie; they want us to participate in it.

Webster  

Absolutely, George Orwell, 1984. Here we go again. Two plus two equals five. If you don't acknowledge that, then - you know - you can kiss your life goodbye. My husband, who's a GP, talks about folie à deux. It's where two people have a mad delusion they share together. This is, I believe, folie à plusieurs, is what I want to say - we can all look that up later- but it is basically the madness of a nation. It is the madness of millions to buy into what the Labor Party is selling, and to ignore and deny the harm that is going on in regional communities, particularly as you say, that they can lie about fuel and they can lie about electricity prices, cost of living. You know 'We're actually doing really well here.' The gaslighting that has gone on under this government is just extraordinary.

MacPherson  

All right. Speaking of delusional, just before we go to the break, you would have seen the Dolly Parton tribute video that Queensland LNP members, including the Deputy Premier, decided they would inflict upon the public. Here's a reminder: if you've not seen it.

Various

Queensland state LNP MPs singing '9 to 5'

MacPherson  

Now, Anne, I thought rather than we could sit here and make fun of it and take pot shots, that's too easy. I'm actually genuinely curious: how does this happen in politics? I mean, who comes up with an idea like this? How does it get pitched to you as an MP? And are you able to say no to stuff like this, especially when, say, the deputy premier is part of it?

Webster  

Well, I can tell you right now, James, you will never see me doing a cringeworthy social media cast like that. It's just, it's never going to happen. All right, I think that I, I know we have to have social media in our lives. I wish we didn't, but we do.  

MacPherson  

But who comes up with this stuff? Is it the MPs do this, or it's advisers?  

Webster  

Could  be, could be ...  could be the MPs themselves. I think they need to, you know, just have another think about it. It's just not something that works. And look at Anika Wells this week with her ooshies. For goodness' sake, it's just ... you know, take a take a break, think about this. Just don't go out there and do that stuff.

MacPherson  

You know what? I wait with bated breath to see you in one of those videos, and we'll get you back on. We'll play it.

Webster  

... Not going to happen.

MacPherson  

... and dissect it together. I appreciate you coming on the program. Thanks so much, Anne.

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