Webster wins out of field of six and promises to ‘take up the fight for the people of regional Victoria’

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The Nationals have preselected Dr Anne Webster for the seat of Mallee, vacated by Andrew Broad following allegations of inappropriate conduct during an official government trip overseas.

Webster, who has a PhD in sociology on adoption, is the founder of Zoe Support, a community organisation that helps young mothers reconnect with studying and training.

The 59-year-old was one of six candidates for the seat, and one of two women.

“I will continue to be a strong advocate for my community and I am excited to take up the fight for the people of regional Victoria,” said Webster. “I’m looking forward to talking to as many people as possible in Mallee over the next few months.”

Earlier this month Webster told Guardian Australia there was “significant distrust” in politicians and politics, and “a feeling of great disappointment”.

“But I think it’s important to understand the difference between a person’s actions and the party’s attitudes, goals and values,” she said.

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Webster has lived in Mildura for 41 years and is married to a local doctor.

Senior Nationals were pushing for a woman to be preselected for the western Victoria seat, after Broad announced he would not recontest the next election.

In December it was alleged in a New Idea article that Broad had met up with a woman 20 years his junior, after connecting on a dating website while on a work trip to Hong Kong. Broad had been a vocal supporter of preserving the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman, saying any change would “weaken” society.

He agreed to pay back any part of the trip that was taxpayer funded, and resigned from the frontbench.

Broad holds the seat of Mallee with a margin of more than 20%.

