Council & Politics
29 January, 2026
Local voice will still be strong: MP
MALLEE’S voice will be heard strongly in Canberra despite the National Party walking out of its coalition with the Liberals, said MP Anne Webster.
MALLEE’S voice will be heard strongly in Canberra despite the National Party walking out of its coalition with the Liberals, said MP Anne Webster.
The Nationals last week split from the Coalition as a special sitting of Parliament voted on hate speech and gun control legislation following last month’s Bondi massacre.
Dr Webster said she had been contacted by hundreds of Mallee voters ahead of the vote wanting her to take a strong stand for lawful firearms ownership and free speech.
The parliamentary debate saw all four Nationals senators voting against both Bills in the Senate, with one such vote – in the eyes of the three senators that were Shadow Ministers – obliging them to offer their resignations to the Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley for appearing to breach shadow cabinet solidarity.
Ms Ley accepted those resignations, despite Mr Littleproud urging her to forgive the Senators for voting as their Party Room had directed them to.
When Ms Ley would not retract the ministerial sackings, Dr Webster and all Nationals shadow ministers resigned their own shadow ministry positions in solidarity.
“Stepping aside from Coalition is a highly principled position that comes at great cost, but it is worth it because I am elected to represent the people of Mallee," she said.
"I can fight for Mallee residents in our current arrangement, and I intend to in any future coalition.”
Dr Webster had been a shadow minister for regional development, local government and territories before the split.