Shadow Minister for Regional Health, Shadow Minister for Regional Communications - Member for Mallee - Transcript - ABC Goulburn Murray - Tuesday 14 April 2026

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‍DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL HEALTH

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

TOPICS: regional health forum in Albury, Labor attitude to regional seats, Coalition party positions on Albury health solutions, Farrer by-election, performance of Victorian health department in regions, One Nation and independent candidates for Farrer, how parties of government deliver for regions

Moon  

Now we knew, didn't we, that the region's health care was going to be one of the hot topics, if not the hot topic of the Farrer by election, and the National Party have taken it seriously as well, hosting a Health Forum in Albury yesterday afternoon. It was an opportunity for the party's candidate, Brad Robertson, as well as leader Matt Canavan and the shadow Regional Health Minister, to hear from community groups, from advocates and concerned locals. The Federal Shadow Minister for Regional Health, Dr Anne Webster is with you now. Good morning,  

Webster

Good morning ...

Moon

.. and we've turned it on for you this morning!

Webster

I know it's freezing. I come from Mildura, so I mean, you know, we have cold mornings in Mildura, but I'm not quite prepared now, it's going to be interesting.

Moon  

And as I mentioned, this was always going to be a really important by election. There's a lot of media attention, and, of course, attention from people in Farrer, but also in the greater region, to see how all the different parties do.

Webster

Absolutely, and health is the number one topic. That's what I'm hearing. Certainly what Brad Robertson, our candidate, has spoken to me about - and Matt Canavan about - at length. And look, it's, it's a very fraught issue across regional Australia, here in Albury; back where I come from, in Mildura; hospitals and the lack of services in our regions. The lack of GPs, of course, primary health care as well is really, really troubling. I've looked through all the statistics and the data that has been presented by your border health community advocacy group here, and it's, it's frankly appalling that Albury has been left -  Albury Wodonga have been left - in this position where, really it's been given a band aid. As Brad would say, it's been given a band aid rather than the build that it needs.

Moon

Well, the Prime Minister has already told us that the federal government isn't interested in providing funding for Albury Wodonga health. So, what do you think can be secured? You know, what are going to be the options?

Webster

Yeah, well, I think that that shows the political nature of this whole issue and regional health is in the state that it is because Labor parties, both at state and federal level, are not interested in our seats. They don't hold these seats. They're not even running a candidate here in Albury Wodonga, sorry, in Farrer, and that's appalling in itself. So you know, “we're not going to win a seat, therefore, we're not going to invest or pay attention to the needs of this community...”? The needs that were represented yesterday at the Health Forum were very clear that this is a serious, serious issue for this region. It has been handled poorly. There was no, you know, acceptance in the room yesterday that a brownfield site was the cure-all to this situation, it is perceived as a band-aid, and that, I think what was really interesting to me yesterday was that the Council said they have identified four greenfield site possibilities, two in Wodonga, two in Albury. And no one in the room yesterday cared which side of the river it was because this is one community. You know, it distresses me that state and federal governments do not pay attention to this. These are people's lives. There are 300,000 people in this region who need, who have the right to and expectation that their views and their needs should be taken into consideration.  

Moon

And when we look at that, we know that the Liberal candidate for Farrer and her predecessor, Sussan Ley, made it clear that they think that that half a billion dollar funding commitment from Victoria and New South Wales is enough, but we know that, with the Coalition back together again, is this a split now? Because we're hearing different things from Liberal and Nationals, and for you as Shadow Minister for Regional Health, and of course, the Federal member for Mallee, you know you've got a stake in this to see how Farrer does progress? Do the Nationals have a chance? Because we are hearing from polling and things like that - which I know that sometimes we don't take too seriously -  that really the independent Michelle Millthorpe and One Nation, you know, are going to be battling out for this?

Webster

Yeah, look, Brad has, as our candidate, has been working in this space with the community for the last few years on this issue, and his view is that a greenfield site is ... it's not just his view. It's because he's been listening to the community. He's been listening to the clinicians. They know that the greenfield site is what is needed now. I mean, is this ... you know, don't, don't let the perfect get in the way of the good. I don't think so. When you're talking about people's lives and health care, there needs to be a genuine focus and a genuine listening to the community. And I'm incredibly passionate about regional health. I'm so glad to be back in this portfolio, because it deeply matters to me. And Mildura really is suffering a very similar fate, lack of interest, lack of dollars, genuine dollars, I'm talking about from the Victorian Labor government. You know, even the Cancer Centre was raised yesterday as something that the community raised the funds for, and it was handed over to the Victorian Department of Health. And now the private public partnership has dissolved, and it's only ... public services have gone down. You know, it's just constant battling this centrist thinking of the Labor Party and the way it wants to run everything from Melbourne and it is, it is absolutely a failure, and the community are rightly angered about all of this.  

I noted on WIN TV last night, they did a report on the forum and that One Nation are not supporting a greenfield site. I thought that was very interesting. Michelle Millthorpe, I believe she's very popular, third time she's running, understand that and the move towards independents, one of her people were in the audience yesterday and making the call that, you know, parties let us down, and we need an independent? I mean, honestly, they don't understand how politics actually works. You actually need to be a party of government to see investment in this kind of project. Independents don't get the chequebook in Treasury. They're not in that space. They're not around the Cabinet table. So, I'm not sure how Michelle Millthorpe is going to achieve that. Frankly, Brad Robertson, on the other hand, as a Nationals member, should he be successful in this by election, then he definitely has the possibility of being in the Cabinet and having a say and ensuring that regional hospitals are not left out in the cold. As I said, I am incredibly passionate about it. The Nationals are the ones who put forward the Murray-Darling medical school program that trains locals to become doctors in their area, which has now seen a 70 per cent rise in GPS being trained in the regions, another program that I'm incredibly passionate about. So, what we want to see is action. It's really easy to say, you know, wow, I support the, you know, greenfield site, but the fact is, we need action, and it can only happen through parties of government.

Moon

Well, all will be revealed in a very short amount of time, Anne it's very, very close. We so appreciate your time coming in and having a chat this morning. The Federal Shadow Minister for Regional Health Dr Anne Webster, thank you.  

Webster

Thank you.

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