DR ANNE WEBSTER MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL HEALTH
SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MALLEE

TOPICS: attack on Member for Indi, managing risk, small business pressures, wages, inflation, regional health
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Burrows

Now, joining me on the phone is a member for Mallee, Anne Webster. Haven't talked for a couple of weeks. Anne, how are you?

Webster

I'm in... You know, in the full scheme of things, I am very well. And of course, we've just been through the most horrific... I don't know, just over 24 hours. maybe 36 hours... with the attack on Helen Haines - it's difficult just to put that out there aside and, you know, carry on as usual. I look through all the papers every morning and every one of them has multiple articles about this because I think it challenges the very core of who we believe we are as Australians.

Burrows

Very, very true.

Webster

You know, it may be somebody who is particularly deranged, drug affected, whatever, but the fact is that anyone would behave that way, to someone, you know, arguably very well known as a very kind and respected politician in her region representing her people is... really it's just unfathomable.

Burrows

It does seem that Australia has come together in condemnation, which is what you'd expect. I mean, that's Australia, right? Because this isn't - an attack like this.

Webster

No, not at all. And, you know, I've spoken with colleagues over the last 24 hours, of course. Nobody can get their head around it.

Burrows

... yeah.

Webster

... you know, it's not as if Helen... is, a controversial issue kind of politician. She's just not. And I could mention very easily, off the tip of my tongue several who are, it doesn't ever justify that kind of behaviour at all. But she is, you know, so well known as a respected and respecting human being that it's just really incredibly shocking.

Burrows

Yeah, no, very true. Look, honestly, I know a little bit about, I've spent a little bit of time in Wangaratta over the years too, and the local area there would be horrified, I can tell you.

Webster

Oh, absolutely. And, you know, all praise to the locals. I read this morning that the emergency services were called to stand down and not go to her aid because the guy had a knife. It was left to locals, the barber and the other young man that you would have seen, most people would have seen clips of him speaking, to go down and pin the guy to the ground.

Burrows

Yeah.

Webster

You know I... It's just... It just leaves you pretty speechless. There are so many things that go through your mind. One for me is that as politicians, we can't allow fear to reduce our public service to an exercise of managing risk. I mean, I am so attuned every time I hear officials in any capacity talk about, oh, we must do this and we must do that and we must do that. And I look behind what they're saying, always about managing risk. We can't live your life like that. And we've got into the habit of allowing people just to dictate those terms of paralysis. Because ultimately that's where it leads you. People look at the bureaucracy, and it doesn't matter which level of government, and go, it is hopeless, it's a fortress, it's inactive, it doesn't respond, it's not responsive, it's not flexible, it doesn't hear what I'm saying. All of that, to me is because they have the underlying baseline of managing risk. We must manage risk. Well, you know what? We don't live - if that's the only thing that motivates organisations, and as I say, whether it's government, whether it's even business, to simply managing risk, we've forgotten what it's like to live.

Burrows

Yes, true. Very, very true - Well, look, we unfortunately need to move on from talking about Helen Haines of course. Plenty of people. talking about the big ongoing conversations for weeks and months, but you did just mention business. You did host a small business forum. Was it last night? Was it yesterday?

Webster

Mmm hmm - yes indeed and you know what horrifies me, speaking of all of that red tape and other kinds of tape that ties business up, that was one of the key issues that was presented and I am mortified to think that some of those present are seriously looking at taking their businesses offshore because of the way they are being treated by government in terms of taxes, in terms of trusts, in terms of red tape, in terms of all the restrictions that they face and the inability to feel like they can breathe and get on and run their businesses. You know, put aside people wanting to rip the system off. No, they're not. They're just wanting to be able to make a profit to pay the wages that are now incredibly high because the Labor Party has a fixation about increasing wages. Well, the fact of the matter is that it has increased inflation and what people are being paid still doesn't pay for the things that they want to buy, whether it's coffee, whether it's meals out, nobody can afford to do it because of inflation and because the government has run away with government spending and placing so many onerous rules on business that it is now... Australia is now not the place to do business. Like, once upon a time, we were... you know a very investable nation now we're at a point where people are going you know what even local businesses 'I may well take my business offshore where i can manage it better and not be hindered by all of the taxes and all the pressure'.

Burrows

Considering - continuing the conversation is what it's all about and I guess look speaking of which to the Mallee's health concerns we're always talking about our health concerns in the Mallee and you're finding the good finding Canberra about this as you must as the Shadow Minister for Regional Health.

Webster

Yes indeed, in fact I'm about to head off to Adelaide very shortly to speak at one of the major national conventions for the RDAA and our regional and rural health providers. So there'll be a thousand people at the conference and I will have the joy of presenting to them tomorrow morning. I'm looking forward to that and continue to meet with all those who are trying to fight the good fight in the health space and improve health outcomes for people who live in the regions.

Burrows

Yeah, Well, look, Anne, good to talk to you as always. And undoubtedly, everyone listening thinking of just circling back to it, thinking of Helen Haines and wishing her and the family and all  friends well.

Webster

Absolutely.

Burrows

The whole community ... Thank you. Anne, and we'll talk again soon.