Thursday 20 November 2025

Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster has released the views of over 5,300 Mallee voters showing strong opposition to Labor’s energy policies and highlighting that her advocacy is consistently in harmony with what Mallee voters believe.

Dr Webster said The Nationals’ recently published energy policy has been informed by Mallee voters' strong view that Labor’s ‘net zero’ is not the way to go for Mallee, or Australia.

“Over 82 per cent of respondents do not want to pay more than $50 a year for net zero but they are already paying well more than that!” Dr Webster said.

“More than 67 per cent do not support Labor’s ‘net zero’ policy, with more than half saying they rank affordability ahead of reliability and reducing emissions as the top priority for our energy grid.”

Mallee’s Biggest Survey was circulated within Mallee to every letterbox and online in the wake of the May election and took months to receive, manually process and analyse over 5,300 responses.

“Everyone had the opportunity to complete the Survey, so there is no arguing with the outcomes.  5,300 responses are far more than most national polls that draw front page headlines in national media outlets, and I take these responses very seriously.  I respect and thank Mallee residents for the time they took to complete the survey and provide their comments.”

Mallee residents from towns and farms alike stood with farming communities saying mining projects either should not occur on farmland (41%), or only on marginal farmland (29%) or otherwise through the developed securing social licence (18%). Only 10% said mining should be prioritised over farming.

On the important topic of social licence for energy or mining projects, while 27 per cent said there should be no mining or energy projects on farms at all, over 50 per cent said landowners should have a right of veto (which they do not have, at present).  Dr Webster highlighted The Nationals policy she fought for, now accepted as Coalition policy, will ensure energy projects are not funded (or supported) by a Coalition Government unless prime agricultural land and native habitat are protected, and if proper social licence is secured. Further to that, if State governments look for federal funding for energy projects, they must adhere to this principle and Code of Conduct.

Over 64 per cent of Mallee voters support nuclear energy being in Australia’s future energy mix, with government-funded reactors the strongest preference of three alternatives, at 40 per cent, ahead of 33 per cent wanting the ban on nuclear lifted.  Only 26 per cent said they opposed nuclear energy.

Survey respondents said cheaper energy was the number one way to create jobs and grow the economy, while almost a quarter rated better hospitals and healthcare their number one concern in Mallee.  47 per cent said wait times to see their GP is their major concern in primary healthcare, ahead of the out-of-pocket costs.

88 per cent said they were under cost-of-living pressure, with the highest pressures being energy costs at 24 per cent, grocery costs over 24 per cent, council rates (14 per cent) then insurance (13 per cent).

Over 48 per cent support more government financial support for stay-at-home parents while 39 per cent supported paying grandparents to help look after their grandchildren.

On the hot topic of cultural heritage in the wake of the restrictions at Lake Tyrrell and Mount Arapiles, over 53 per cent of respondents said public access to public land should be preserved while also preserving artifacts.  40 per cent saying public land should be kept absolutely public for everyone, and less than 6 per cent said cultural heritage should be preserved at any cost.

A high proportion of Mallee voters – over 73 per cent – believe business tax levels are too high, compared to 59 per cent believing personal income tax levels are too high.  While 86 per cent expressed concern about Labor’s plans for taxing retirement savings, this response came before the Coalition ensured Labor backtracked from its worst plans, such as what would have been the world’s first tax on unrealised capital gains.

Mallee respondents ranked a focus on reading, writing and arithmetic their top education concern (38 per cent) ahead of reducing activism (16.5%) and hiring more teachers and staff (16%).

Dr Webster has been talking with banks and communications companies about better protecting people from scams after over 1 in 5 survey respondents said they had been scammed over $1,000, with the internet the most common source at 56 per cent.

“I have been advocating on some harrowing cases of scam losses in excess of $100,000 and I encourage everyone to be scam aware and reach out to me if they are not making progress with their bank or authorities – and please, be vigilant and scam aware!” Dr Webster said.

Meanwhile, 74 per cent of respondents rated Mallee’s roads as being in poor condition, over two-thirds said Australia’s immigration rate is too high and more than half said the NDIS is not appropriately targeted.

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