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Anne Elizabeth Webster (née Smithers; born 19 May 1959) is an Australian politician who has been a member of the House of Representatives since the 2019 federal election. She is a member of the National Party and represents the Division of Mallee in Victoria. She was a social worker and non-profit executive before entering parliament.

Career

Webster studied sociology and history at La Trobe University, followed by a Bachelor of Social Work with honours. She also holds a diploma of Associate in Music, Australia. She taught music for a number of years, as well as worked as a professional seamstress and image consultant. In 2018, she completed a Ph.D. at the Australian National University (ANU) with a doctoral thesis on adoption titled "The Legacy, Legality and Legitimacy of Adopting Out - Examining the legitimacy of adoption through birth mother experiences".

Before entering parliament, Webster was a social worker in Mildura. She was elected to the board of the Mallee Accommodation and Support Program (MASP) in 2005, and served as chair for a period. In 2011, Webster became the founding executive director of Zoe Support, an organisation assisting young mothers with education. She was named "Citizen of the Year" by the Mildura Rural City Council in 2019 for her work with the organisation.

Politics

In January 2019, Webster won National Party preselection for the Division of Mallee, replacing the retiring MP Andrew Broad. She defeated five other candidates over three rounds of voting. She had earlier stood for preselection in Mallee prior to the 2013 federal election, but lost to Broad.

Webster retained Mallee for the Nationals at the 2019 federal election with a small negative swing on the two-party-preferred count. The party's primary vote halved from 56 percent to 28 percent, with large swings to the Liberal Party, and independents Jason Modica and Ray Kingston.

After revelations emerged that Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh attempt to disaffiliate from the federal National Party to protest Barnaby Joyce's successful leadership challenge and opposition to a green net zero carbon emissions policy, Webster called for a balanced approach but expressed opposition to Walsh's support for the net zero policy.

Personal life

In September 2020, Webster was awarded $350,000 in damages following a defamation suit against Karen Brewer, a conspiracy theorist who alleged on social media that Webster and her husband were "participants in a secretive criminal network involved in child sexual abuse". Her husband and the non-profit organisation they co-founded were awarded similar amounts.

References

1. ^ "First Speech: Dr Anne Webster MP". Parliament of Australia. 1 August 2019. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
2. ^ "Dr Anne Webster MP". Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
3. "Labour Candidate Carole Hart Says Nats May Not Claim Seat". 1089 3WM. Archived from the original on 13 November 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
4. "Anne Webster preselected as the Nationals candidate for Mallee". National Party of Australia. 19 January 2019. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
5. Webster, Anne Elizabeth (2018). "The Legacy, Legality and Legitimacy of Adopting Out - Examining the legitimacy of adoption through birth mother experiences". Australian National University Library. Australian National University. doi:10.25911/5d51464147e8a. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
6. "Six Nationals candidates vie to replace Andrew Broad in Mallee seat". The Guardian Australia. 5 January 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
7. "Webster's Mallee bid: Latest federal candidate says she's an agent for change". Sunraysia Daily. 15 March 2013. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
8. ^ "Anne Webster wins Mallee preselection". The Australian. 19 January 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
9. "Anne Webster Mildura Citizen of the Year". Mildura Independent. 27 January 2019. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
10. "Mallee". ABC News. Archived from the original on 21 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
11. "Nationals MP wants sensible climate stance". 8 July 2021. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
12. Testa, Christopher (22 September 2020). "Conspiracy theorist ordered to pay $875,000 for online posts about Nationals MP Anne Webster". ABC News. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.

• National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Mallee
• Living people
• Women members of the Australian House of Representatives
• La Trobe University alumni
• Australian National University alumni
• University of Melbourne alumni
• Australian social workers
• Women nonprofit executives
• People from Mildura
• Australian people of New Zealand descent
• 21st-century Australian women politicians
• 21st-century Australian politicians
• 1959 births