General News
18 December, 2023
More work for Mallee in 2024
Federal Member for Mallee and Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health Anne Webster has called 2023 a busy year with work still needed to be done to support communities across the Mallee region. Upon review, Ms Webster said she is happy to see...
Federal Member for Mallee and Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health Anne Webster has called 2023 a busy year with work still needed to be done to support communities across the Mallee region.
Upon review, DrWebster said she is happy to see a positive community environment in the Central Goldfields.
“I certainly look forward to continuing to work with the Central Goldfields Shire Council, they are very active in working with their community and have the heart of the community as their focus,” she said.
“Everyone here wants to see the Central Goldfields do well and be productive for the future, and with the projects the council has implemented, it can make this area thrive.”
Ms Webster said she is still striving to improve the region for the community, with continued improvements for Mallee’s health services being an issue she will lobby for in 2024.
“It is really important to me to understand what the issues are in each of the 12 shires that I work with,” she said.
“It is very clear that we have a big problem in terms of general practice numbers, allied health professionals, aged care workers and nurses across the region.
“We live in a childcare desert — it does not matter where you live in Mallee there is not enough childcare which of course means people who are professionally trained workers, cannot work.”
Dr Webster also wants more local and national attention on the Federal Government’s $20 billion Rewiring the Nation project, which aims to upgrade the electricity grid by fixing energy transmission and implementing more renewables. She says the project does more harm than good for regional communities.
“We don’t want to see Labor basically dump bad policy on regions like this with their transmission and renewable projects,” she said.
“There are better ways to provide reliable, sustainable and affordable energy instead of Labor’s railroading renewable policy into our community."
"They are not putting wind towers up in St Kilda or Brighton, they are going to be doing it out here.
“I have been proud to stand with farming communities in Spring Street at parliament and bring national attention to this.
“It divides communities when these companies gain the support of one farmer for the project, whilst the neighbour knows nothing about it and puts them under pressure."