Member for Mallee - Transcript - ABC TV - Thursday 22 January 2026

‍DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

TOPICS: Bill restricting hate speech and gun ownership, parliamentary process, resignations from Shadow Cabinet, Liberal Party, conservative politics, Australian freedoms

JAYES  

Anne, you just heard my conversation there with Yeron, why did you quit?

WEBSTER  

We, as a National Party, have worked solidly over the few days that we had with this shambolic omnibus bill to try and make the best of it that we could. We worked with our Liberal lawyer colleagues to try and get amendments that would make it better, that just frankly, did not happen. The process,  let's face this very squarely, it sits on Albanese’s head. He rammed this process through for a political score. He just wanted to get it through regardless. He guillotined every debate. He gave us five minutes, not 15. There was no genuine inquiry. Three days is a joke. He really has made this all about politics, and we were left to try and work with our Coalition partner to come up with the best framing. Michelle Rowland was standing up in Parliament as we were talking about amendments in our party room. Our party room had 10 meetings throughout the process trying to come to a point where we were happy that we that Australians would be better off with this legislation. Frankly, that did not happen. Our senators went to the Senate, as you know, 10pm that night, and they put through our party room which, at the Tuesday afternoon meeting in the party room, I, along with my colleagues, made the decision, and for me with tears in my eyes, that I would stand with my Senate shadow ministers, and if they were caused to resign, then I would resign as well. We made that together. They did not go off and go rogue, as some have been saying, that's not true. They spoke on behalf of our party room. I'm very proud of them, and I'm very proud of our party room for standing our ground.

JAYES  

Well, let's talk about this. I mean, it seems kind of redundant to talk about this at the moment, but this kind of conjecture over whether there was a Shadow Cabinet position and whether that solidarity had been breached. David Littleproud said, I made it very clear all the way through, I did not believe there was a Shadow Cabinet position. Bridget McKenzie, in her resignation letter, says, though, as a result, ‘while remaining deeply committed to the unity of the team and the authority of the Shadow Cabinet, I was unable to support the decision taken on the legislation’. So, which is true, Anne?

WEBSTER  

Well, I'm not in Shadow Cabinet. Sorry, Laura, I'd love to give you a one-liner here. I'm not in Shadow Cabinet. I don't know what the words were that were taken, but the fact of the matter is that, as amendments were still happening, and there was no shadow cabinet meeting, and there was certainly no Joint Party Room meeting, and I think that's critical. We always put the full stop at the end of the legislation with a Joint Party Room meeting. Not one occurred, not one - that is a failure of process. Now to be fair to Sussan, this was rushed, it was crammed, it was pressurised by Albanese’s political play. It was unfair on everybody involved. However, it still requires leadership, and our senators, in my view, should not have had to resign from their position. So, we're now in a position where we are separated once again, and we'll see how things play out.

JAYES  

This is not your call anymore, and never was, because you're not in the Liberal party room, but obviously this action today is a massive comment on Sussan Ley's leadership. I mean, I know you're going to say, oh, it's up to the Liberal Party, but come on, let's be real with the Australian people. Do you think she should stay or should she be replaced?

WEBSTER  

You know, politics is pretty complex, I’ve got to say multi-layered, as you would be well aware, Laura, and there are certain things that it's worth me getting into a fight about, and particularly representing my electorate, but there are some things that I just need to let go through to keeper. So I'm really sorry I'm not going to comment on that one. It is for my Liberal Party colleagues to work out.

JAYES

What do you think they'll work out? Any ideas?

WEBSTER  

Well, I don't know. I, you know, certainly have Liberal members who text me and talk to me, but you know, I'm not in their machinations of how they're going to manage this. I think it's a very difficult time for the Liberal Party, and I think conservative Australians in particular, want to know that the Coalition can get back together, can stand for Australian values, the things that are dear to our heart, like our democracy and our freedoms, and represent them, and I certainly hope that that is the future that we are looking at, because the government of the day is absolutely not doing that.

JAYES  

Anne Webster, good to talk to you. It's been a while between drinks, we'll see you soon. Anne might need one after today.

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