FORMER MP Andrew Broad believes Member for Mallee Anne Webster can still achieve for the electorate in Opposition with a “level-headed approach”, while taking a swipe at the Coalition’s “overreaction” to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The worse day in government is still better than the best day in Opposition,” he said.
“I think it will be a harsh reality when you write a letter to a minister and not get a response for six months.
“I’m not worried if Anne is on the front or back bench – what I have admired is the consistent approach from all past Mallee members in that none have been head-kickers, never yelled abuse.
“Ultimately, that rewards the electorate in opposition because Anne can have quiet words with the health minister, ag minister, water minister and say, ‘These are things you need to be mindful of or go get funded’.
“People are just there to fight, which is fine in government, but when it swings the other way, you really miss out.”
Mr Broad served as The Nationals’ Mallee MP from 2013 until his retirement at the 2019 polls after a “dumb mistake” when he used a “seeking arrangement” website to meet a younger woman.
Mr Broad said he wasn’t surprised the Coalition lost at the polls, saying its handling of the pandemic played a role in the convincing defeat.
“(Scott) Morrison was all over the shop and frankly it cost him the election … he lost me over it all,” he said.
“He initially came out and spoke on business confidence and flattening the curve but National Cabinet was an unmitigated disaster – no one worked together, premiers collectively responded to a global health concern, Aussies cheered them on and proved nowhere near the task.
“Morrison should have held his ground and challenged the states for shutting state borders. People lost contact with loved ones and died, for what? Here we are three jabs later and getting COVID anyway, what a balls-up.”
Mr Broad said Labor’s biggest challenge for the next three years was navigating through almost $1 trillion of national debt.
“The very basic is that when Labor has previously come into government they come in with money sitting in the cupboard,” he said.
“When they came in after John Howard finished, Australia had no national debt, in fact, surplus funds. This time they come in with close to a trillion dollars of national debt.
“That’s a complete failing of the Coalition. An overreacted stimulus to do with COVID.
“I worked out the other day that for just 2 per cent of interest, the government has to collect $20 billion worth of tax – just to pay interest – before paying anyone’s wages. Just ponder that.
“We have never had debt in our history like today and we have nothing to show for it – our roads are still crap.”
Mr Broad said he wasn’t surprised Anthony Albanese’s Labor returned to government, given the Coalition had held office for close to a decade.
“Governments, once they have had three terms, are very lucky to have a fourth,” he said.
“If the person that the electorate replaced the PM with is half-decent, they will generally replace them after three terms. Albo is a good bloke and people trust him to give him a go.
“I’m very pleased that they have formed majority government because I don’t think it’s in anyone’s interest for a country to have to do horse-trading all the time, especially in issues of national security and economy … two big issues in a world of uncertainty, so we need majority to make sound decisions.”
The idea of conservatives moving to the Left to win votes was “rubbish”, Mr Broad said.
“If you are Left, you will vote Left.
“The Nationals held every seat and gained an extra Senate ticket, by just concentrating on doing the job, being a good local member, talking common sense.
“In contrast, Liberal MP Tim Wilson said to me when I dropped in to see him to speak about some handouts at schools, that people send him to Canberra to do great things for the nation, not to expect to see him in the Goldstein electorate. And look, he only lasted two terms.
“People want locals to fight to get the best outcomes. Anne (Webster) does the job differently to me, she puts the work in, tried to do her best and people in the Mallee are fair-minded and give them another go.”
Will we see the Mallee give its former member another go?
“I’m reasonably comfortable with what I achieved for six years in the job and four years before that in the Victorian Farmers Federation,” Mr Broad said.
“I have other aspirations with my life, moved to Queensland, renovating, and don’t have to stress. Nah, not coming back.”
