Anne Webster
{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Anne Webster
| honorific-suffix = MP
| image =
| title = Member of the Australian Parliament for Mallee
| term_start = 18 May 2019
| term_end =
| predecessor = Andrew Broad
| successor =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1959|05|19}}
| birth_place = Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia{{cite news|url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=281688|title=Dr Anne Webster MP|publisher=Parliament of Australia|access-date=22 September 2020|archive-date=30 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930001859/https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=281688|url-status=live}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = National
| relations =
| occupation= Social worker
|alma_mater = La Trobe University
Australian National University
}}
Anne Elizabeth Webster (née Smithers; born 19 May 1959){{cite news |title=Labour Candidate Carole Hart Says Nats May Not Claim Seat |url=https://www.3wm.com.au/articles/could-libs-win/ |access-date=13 November 2019 |agency=1089 3WM |archive-date=13 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113095605/https://www.3wm.com.au/articles/could-libs-win/ |url-status=live }} 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.{{cite news|url=http://nationals.org.au/anne-webster-preselected-as-the-nationals-candidate-for-mallee/|title=Anne Webster preselected as the Nationals candidate for Mallee|date=19 January 2019|access-date=1 June 2019|publisher=National Party of Australia|archive-date=1 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601031253/http://nationals.org.au/anne-webster-preselected-as-the-nationals-candidate-for-mallee/|url-status=live}} 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".{{cite journal |last1=Webster |first1=Anne Elizabeth |title=The Legacy, Legality and Legitimacy of Adopting Out - Examining the legitimacy of adoption through birth mother experiences. |url=https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/154266 |website=Australian National University Library |date=2018 |publisher=Australian National University |doi=10.25911/5d51464147e8a |access-date=7 April 2022 |archive-date=7 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407103351/https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/154266 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jan/05/six-nationals-candidates-vie-to-replace-andrew-broad-in-mallee-seat|title=Six Nationals candidates vie to replace Andrew Broad in Mallee seat|newspaper=The Guardian Australia|date=5 January 2019|access-date=1 June 2019}}
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.{{cite news|url=http://www.sunraysiadaily.com.au/story/1365214/websters-mallee-bid-latest-federal-candidate-says-shes-an-agent-for-change/|title=Webster's Mallee bid: Latest federal candidate says she's an agent for change|date=15 March 2013|access-date=1 June 2019|newspaper=Sunraysia Daily|archive-date=1 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601031244/http://www.sunraysiadaily.com.au/story/1365214/websters-mallee-bid-latest-federal-candidate-says-shes-an-agent-for-change/|url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite news|url=http://www.milduraindependent.com/index.php/news/6774-anne-webster-mildura-citizen-of-the-year|title=Anne Webster Mildura Citizen of the Year|publisher=Mildura Independent|date=27 January 2019|access-date=1 June 2019|archive-date=1 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601031244/http://www.milduraindependent.com/index.php/news/6774-anne-webster-mildura-citizen-of-the-year|url-status=live}}
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.{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/anne-webster-wins-mallee-preselection/news-story/73f571a76116619909f77f63cfcc1ead|title=Anne Webster wins Mallee preselection|date=19 January 2019|access-date=1 June 2019|newspaper=The Australian}}
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.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2019/guide/mall/|title=Mallee|work=ABC News|access-date=1 June 2019|archive-date=21 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521145948/https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2019/guide/mall|url-status=live}}
After revelations emerged that Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh attempted 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7331357/nationals-mp-wants-sensible-climate-stance/|title=Nationals MP wants sensible climate stance|date=8 July 2021|access-date=18 July 2021|archive-date=18 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718141600/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7331357/nationals-mp-wants-sensible-climate-stance/|url-status=live}}
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.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-22/mp-anne-webster-awarded-defamation-payout-over-online-posts/12689178|title=Conspiracy theorist ordered to pay $875,000 for online posts about Nationals MP Anne Webster|work=ABC News|date=22 September 2020|access-date=22 September 2020|first=Christopher|last=Testa|archive-date=22 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922081149/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-22/mp-anne-webster-awarded-defamation-payout-over-online-posts/12689178|url-status=live}}
References
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{{s-bef|before=Andrew Broad}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member for Mallee |years=2019–present}}
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{{Victoria Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Webster, Anne}}
Category:National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia
Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives
Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Mallee
Category:Women members of the Australian House of Representatives
Category:La Trobe University alumni
Category:Australian National University alumni
Category:University of Melbourne alumni
Category:Australian social workers
Category:Women nonprofit executives
Category:Australian people of New Zealand descent
Category:21st-century Australian women politicians