Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories - Shadow Minister for Regional Communications- Transcript - Interview ABC Radio Wimmera - 16 December 2025

DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TERRITORIES

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

TRANSCRIPT - Interview with Rebekah Lowe

TOPICS: Antisemitism, gun laws, Bondi terrorist attack, visa holders, National Firearms register, machete bans, gun control measures, farmers' need for firearms

LOWE:

As you've been hearing across the news last night and this morning, Australia's gun laws are being again being discussed. This comes after Sunday's terrorist attack on Bondi, killing 15 people, including a 10-year-old girl. We know 'Akram' held a recreational hunting licence that allowed him to own high-powered rifles. These include the ones used in Sunday's shooting. National Cabinet met last night to discuss gun laws and gun control measures. Dr Anne Webster is a federal member for Mallee, she joins us this morning.

WEBSTER:

Good morning, Rebecca. How are you?

LOWE:

Good. Terrible, situation. We find ourselves in this country again, don't we?

WEBSTER: 

Absolutely. It is horrific and just takes us back to Port Arthur, for those of us who are old enough to remember. Horrendous activity that took place in Bondi on Sunday. And look, we absolutely, it's a time for reflection. Where are we at? I know that the National Cabinet has met, as you've said, and they're looking at gun laws. We are looking at immigration more generally and talking about Australian values and ensuring that the people who come to Australia want to embrace our Australian values, not bring old hatreds to our country, because it's not who we are. And while I understand that it's, you know, that's a... for us, it is a deflection that the Prime Minister is taking a sideways look at gun laws, a little bit like Jacinta Allan has with machetes, rather than looking at what has perpetrated this kind of hatred this kind of antisemitism which has been growing since October the 7th and 8th in Australia where it was allowed to be seen for all to see and here, the hatred that was spewed on that day on the Opera House steps and has since then gone to attack childcare centres, people's homes, vandalism that has taken place in Mallee, I've got to say, and, of course, firebombing the synagogue. This is an old hatred. Antisemitism should never have been to get to this expression in Australia.

LOWE:

We are talking about gun reform here, though. It seems that the ... what do you take of yesterday's National Cabinet meeting on gun control? What do you think about what was said there yesterday?

WEBSTER:

Well, we don't ... as National Party, we had a meeting yesterday as well, and we don't believe that gun law is the main issue. The one thing I would say is that people who are on a visa, I question whether it's appropriate for them to have gun access and guns available to them. Let's not, you know, fool ourselves, mind you, Rebecca, people have access in the black market to all kinds of of things that are absolutely illegal in Australia. So it's not going to stop those who are intent on evil. But in terms of our current gun laws, I don't want to see things that changes that mean that farmers can't deal with wild dogs or rabbits or foxes or roos or the things that they need to deal with in order for farming to be able to produce what they produce. So I think this is, as I said, I think it's a deflection for the Prime Minister rather than looking at Jillian Segal's report, which he asked her to do on antisemitism in Australia, which she handed to him in February of this year, of which the government has done nothing, a big zero. They've done nothing. They need to look at those recommendations and act on those recommendations.

LOWE:

Okay, so what change of process does The Nationals support then?

WEBSTER:

Look, we're happy to have the conversation. We're prepared to go back to Canberra if that's what the Prime Minister wants to do.

LOWE:

What about the National Register? Do you go in for a National Register?

WEBSTER:

Well, firearms are registered. It's just whether it's state or whether it's national. That's a coordination matter. I think it's a, you know, it's a practical matter rather than dealing with the core issue, which is hatred in this instance against the Jewish community. That is the issue and we cannot change, we can't deflect to anything else. That is the issue and we need to stamp it out. World leaders have looked at Australia this week and said, this is a failure of the government. And it is true. And that is what needs to be addressed and The Nationals are absolutely ready to step up, have those conversations, what needs to happen.

LOWE:

Do you agree with making Australian citizenship a condition of owning a firearm licence?

WEBSTER:

I think that it's certainly something that we would consider. I can't say that we've got there because we haven't had that - we haven't made that commitment. But I know that, you know, we discussed it and it is something that I think we need to look at. Will it stop people accessing guns and firearms when they choose? No. Did the machete ban stop people being knifed with other implements or even with machetes still? No. So I think there's more that needs to happen.

LOWE:

Okay. All right. Thank you so much for your time. That was Dr Anne Webster. She's. She's the Member for Mallee there speaking about her thoughts on gun reform in this country and whether the decisions by the federal states and their territory governments is the right ones.

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