Image Upload


File size must be less than 2Mb

You must have online publishing permission or full ownership of this image

File types (jpg, png, gif)






  • Hero image
    Anne Webster celebrates with her team after retaining her seat in parliament.

Anne Webster taking up Mallee fight from opposition

By Michael Scalzo

For the first time in nearly a decade, people in north-western Victoria will have their federal member represent them from opposition.

Voters in the federal seat of Mallee re-endorsed their Nationals candidate with an increased two-candidate preferred margin on Saturday despite the change of Federal Government. 

However, Member for Mallee Anne Webster has reaffirmed her commitment to regional Australia and emphasised a priority in ‘taking up a fight’ against ‘urban idealogues’.  Dr Webster said the election of independent candidates in metropolitan seats during Saturday’s Federal Election was proof a ‘divide’ between urban and rural voters had increased.



Article continues below


“People in the cities do not produce. In regional centres, we are about production, and that keeps the whole country ticking over and is the reason there is food on inner-city tables. They need to remember that,” she said. 

“Their policies cannot dictate how business is done in the regions.”

Dr Webster said Labor ‘now held all the cards’ and a ‘Labor, teal, Greens alliance was not good for regional Australia. “The saying is we need to hold their feet to the fire and make it about what’s best for regional Australia,” she said.

Dr Webster polled just shy of 50 percent of primary votes in Mallee on Saturday, while Labor Party candidate Carole Hart polled 16.2 percent. 

Independent candidate Sophie Baldwin polled 10 percent of primary votes and United Australia Party candidate Stuart King followed with 9.6 percent. 

Dr Webster, who said she did not accept the ‘independence’ of notable successful candidates across Australia, was confident a similar independent rebellion in the region was not in Mallee voters’ interests. 

“The reality is independents have very little say, and I know a party remains the strongest structure to engage and ensure democratic outcomes. I do not want to see an independent here who is not honest or not able to be critiqued by a party, where they can simply be a law unto themselves,” she said. 

However, she did concede that a national swing towards progressive independents was because many people had ‘lost trust’ in political parties.

Dr Webster also said ‘mis-education’ about a supposed Federal Government constitutional capacity to replace Victorian premier Daniel Andrews after the state’s COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns remained a factor in the replacement of a federal Coalition government. 

“People still contact me about lockdowns. They say they just want government out of their life. They have a belief Scott Morrison could have pulled Daniel Andrews from government,” she said. 

Asked if she believed this was a major factor in the government’s defeat, Dr Webster said she believed that ‘it had played into why the Coalition had lost seats’. 

However, she said it was an ‘honour’ to be returned to office by voters in Mallee with an increased margin and said while opposition would be a ‘different ball game’, she was a ‘pragmatist at heart’. 

“The electoral result is what it is,” she said.  

“The learning process for a first term in government is about parliamentary, legislative and party process, and that has been fairly comprehensive in the past three years. Going forward though, it is about how can I fight for my electorate when my party is not in power.”

Dr Webster said she did not blame anyone for not wanting to hear from a politician for a little while now the election campaign was over. 

An official election result in the federal seat of Wannon has moved to a two-candidate preferred stage of counting, after independent Alex Dyson pushed Liberal candidate and Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan further than some expected. 

While Mr Tehan remains tipped to retain his seat after polling more than 44 percent of primary votes, and several electoral commentators having already ‘called’ the seat in Mr Tehan’s favour, preferences will now be taken into account after Mr Dyson polled second with 20.3 percent.

If Mr Tehan retains Wannon as expected, the result would still constitute a swing away from the minister, as replicated in a statewide swing against the Coalition. 

The entire May 25, 2022 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire May 25, 2022 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!