Labor puts regions on road to ruin

The safety of Mallee drivers is being compromised by Labor’s poor management of regional road repairs, Member for Mallee Anne Webster says. “In its October budget the Albanese Labor Government stripped $60 million from the Black Spot Road Safety program over the forward estimates and deferred more than $280 million in Road Safety Program funding…

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Labor must pause 60 day dispensing rollout

The Albanese Labor Government must pause its 60 day pharmacy dispensing rollout because of the adverse impact on regional people, Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health Anne Webster says. A nationwide survey conducted by the Pharmacy Guild has revealed almost one in four of the 1000 community pharmacies surveyed have reduced opening hours and 54…

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Plibersek circles buybacks again

Federal Labor Water Minister Tanya Plibersek needs to stop ignoring Murray Darling Basin irrigation communities and State governments in her ruthless push to pursue water buybacks, despite their known impact on farm sustainability, Member for Mallee Anne Webster says.   “The Minister is prepared to disregard farmers whose livelihoods depend on irrigation, as well as…

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China’s barley backdown a win for Mallee farmers

China’s agreement to drop 80 per cent tariffs on Australian barley is a win for Mallee farmers, Member for Mallee Anne Webster says. The tariffs were introduced in May 2020 after Beijing accused Australia of selling the grain below the cost of production and subsidising farmers, however the Chinese Government announced they would be dropped…

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Regions miss out as Victoria axes funding

The Victorian Labor Government has robbed regional communities of potential Federal funding by axing the state’s Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund (RJIF), Member for Mallee Anne Webster says. The state funding of more than $100 million per year has been ripped away from regional communities, meaning councils can’t access the Federal Government’s Growing Regions Program…

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Audit commenced on Round 6 of Mobile Black Spot program

The Australian National Audit Office will investigate the Albanese Labor Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program Round 6 funding after it targeted funding to Labor seats in the election and left electorates like Mallee out. In Victoria, Labor seats McEwen, Bendigo and Corangamite all benefitted from Communications Minister Michelle Rowland’s hand-picked funding – while Mallee missed…

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New report highlights transmission waste

A damning new report has laid bare the cost blowout and waste of the Western Victoria energy transmission project, threatening prime Mallee farmland, Member for Mallee Anne Webster says. The Victoria Energy Policy Centre’s (VEPC) ‘No Longer Lost In Transmission’ report highlights the Victoria New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West) costs are understated by…

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Murray Darling Basin Plan delay must not mean buybacks

The Albanese Labor Government has rightly extended the Murray Darling Basin Plan deadline beyond 2024, but not without Water Minister Tanya Plibersek adopting a partisan approach. Member for Mallee Anne Webster said the Minister has not assisted the debate by using terms like ‘guerilla warfare’ and ‘sabotage’ in announcing the delay. “In her first briefings…

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