Member for Mallee - Transcript - Sky News with James Macpherson - 'The Macpherson Angle' - Sunday 15 March 2026

‍DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TERRITORIES

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

TOPICS: Government fuel supply assurances, minimum stockholding obligation, regional fuel shortages, fuel excise, ACCC powers, Iran conflict, US deployment request, Australia-US relationship, opinion polling, voter sentiment, Matt Canavan, David Littleproud, Iranian asylum seekers

MACPHERSON

Let's talk to Anne Webster, Anne, should Australians be feeling reassured?

WEBSTER

Well, clearly, they're not feeling reassured. I don’t think the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, all through this last week in the House reassured anybody with his statements, finally admitting that there actually is a crisis, and then claimed credit for the minimum stock holding obligation, which was actually us - in office in the 2019 period of time that the Coalition was in office. That was our law, that was our legislation, and it came into being under Labor, just to clarify that issue, they have now used 20 per cent ... they have agreed to 20 per cent of that stockholding to be dispersed. The problem is, it's not getting out to the regions. So we've got, I've got almond farmers here, I have crop farmers and many other horticulturalists who are relying on stable energy and fuel supplies, and they're not getting them. So, we've had Robinvale, which is not far from Mildura - 70 kilometres down the road - oo bad if you ran out of fuel when you were getting to Robinvale, because there was no fuel left today. And they're all on rations. Farmers are on rations. You know, I hope that the Prime Minister, the Treasurer and the Minister for Climate Change are okay not having almond milk lattes in the future, if the almonds can't actually be harvested and taken to where they need to be manufactured. This is a problem that this government is just simply not owning.

MACPHERSON

I'm pretty sure Anne that ministers in our government don't drink almond milk. They prefer soy. Jim Chalmers says he hasn't considered any changes to the petrol excise. Should he?

WEBSTER

Look, I don't know about the excise - the problem is that when the government starts to take away money, they're very worried about their budget clearly and from their coffers. I mean, take away funding that they're relying on. The problem is that the prices are escalating rapidly. And what is more, they are varying hour to hour. How can that even be? So, where is the ACCC? Where is the Treasurer? You know, to call the ACCC to lift their game and actually check out what's going on in terms of prices. This government is literally asleep at the wheel, and they are negligent.

MACPHERSON

All right, the Coalition supports the US effort against Iran, but I've got to ask you, how much pain is worth the war in Iran?

WEBSTER

Well, President Trump has called for other nations to send warships to Hormuz. We don't know whether Australia has been requested to join that mission. We don't know, we're not in government. The Labor Party is in government. They are not communicating anything about that to us. We would support a sensible plan that is in Australia's best interests. So these are questions that honestly, the Labor Party ought to be facing up to and being honest with the Australian people about.

MACPHERSON

Well, there was a report in the Sydney Morning Herald that said Trump had asked Japan to send warships. He'd asked the UK to send warships. According to the SMH, there had not yet been a request for Australia to contribute any military assets at all. What does that say about our relationship with the US? What does that say about our Defence department, that Trump asked Japan asked the UK, but apparently, didn't think us worth requesting any help from?

WEBSTER

Well, you know this, again, is on the Prime Minister's shoulders. He has to ensure that the relationship with the US is solid, is strong. It is in our interest. The Prime Minister of Australia needs to assure the Australian people that he is standing up for Australian interests, that includes ensuring that we can get oil fuel to Australia in a timely way. And you know, we've heard so many obfuscations about supply this week from the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Supply and demand work together. If demand goes up, supply needs to go up. It's a basic lesson. But I'm not sure that the Minister for Climate Change and Energy really gets it.

MACPHERSON

Anne, what do you make of the latest Resolve poll, it was released just a couple of hours ago, showing One Nation is now more popular than the Coalition. The poll has the ALP’s primary vote on just 20.9 per cent, that's a drop of three points. The Coalition’s support has fallen by one point to 22 per cent that's despite the switch from Sussan Ley to Angus Taylor. But here's the interesting part, One Nation's primary vote is up two points to 24 per cent - that's ahead of the Coalition! Are you surprised? The switch to Angus Taylor appears to have made no difference.

WEBSTER

Look, I'm not surprised. I've seen that poll and the way it goes like that in one year that One Nation has got this trajectory, it's two years until the next election. That's the only poll that ultimately matters. We know that, of course, we have South Australian election next Saturday. That will be a litmus test for sure. We have the Farrer by election, and then we've got the Victorian State election in November. So, there are a few, you know, few things for us to observe. But what I would say is people are angry. They are angry with government as it stands, the status quo. They're done with it. They want to see change. They want to know that they are being listened to. That is our first job. I'm sure I've said it to you before, James, that is our first job as MP is to listen to our electorates and then respond to develop policy that matters to our electorates. And there is a lot of work that I don't see One Nation doing. I've read their headlines on their policies, but I tell you what we are parties of government and the Coalition will be developing ... in fact, I know there are already 10 policies that I have had in process of being costed and developed for two years time. So, it's all about listening. It's all about acting. And I don't think that the Labor government is doing either - they're not listening and they're not acting.

MACPHERSON

Your party, of course, has a new leader, with Matt Canavan and replacing David Littleproud. Last Monday, I heard someone on the ABC this morning describe Matt Canavan as and I'm quoting a thinking man's Barnaby Joyce. What do you think of that description?

WEBSTER

I'm sure Matt would like that description. You know, there's no getting away from the fact that ‘BJ’ is populist. He speaks well to the people - I've stood next to him when he was a member of the National Party on many an occasion. And Matt is a thinker and he is a doer. And Barnaby Joyce has said that himself, Matt will do a tremendous job in addressing the issues that matter to regional Australians, and he won't apologise when he does it, and I think that is a very good thing, and he's got ... he's got our party’s support, so we will be working very hard to ensure that we do the right thing by regional Australia and press forward over this next couple of years.

MACPHERSON

Anne, I'm not asking you to tell me that Matt Canavan is better than David Littleproud. I wouldn't expect you to do that, but I wonder if you could give me one or two strengths that Canavan has over your previous leader.

WEBSTER

Look, they're completely different. David was fantastic as a leader. He was very clear and concise in his messaging. He was very collaborative with Peter Dutton. He worked with our Coalition. He's a coalitionist. He's a dear colleague of mine. Matt is a senator, so I don't get to see Matt very often. I'm just putting that out, but Matt is a very good communicator. I certainly see him on Sky, and I know that he communicates very clearly about the things that matter to Australians.

MACPHERSON

That was you could get a diplomatic posting, I think, with answers like that. Anne, thank you. Before I let you go, another three members of the Iran women's soccer team who initially accepted refugee visas have now decided to return to Iran. Do you think more could have been done to protect and help these women?

WEBSTER

Look once again, James, this is the Labor government, Tony Burke and the department itself, who have engaged with these footballers. I am really worried about them, the ones who have gone back. You know, as I heard your commentary earlier, I agree with you. I think you know they were, in many respects, damned if they did and damned if they didn't. They've been labelled traitors by an awful regime. What does it mean for their families? We don't know what Tony Burke and the department have done. To give you a really clear picture, I don't know what was said. I don't know what offers were made. It is absolutely for the Labor Party to be transparent with the Australian people about these women.

MACPHERSON

Anne Webster. Really appreciate you coming on the program. It's always a delight to speak with you. Thanks so much.