THE HON ANDREW HASTIE MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND SOVEREIGN CAPABILITY
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR CANNING

TRANSCRIPT
INTERVIEW WITH SIMON BEAUMONT, 6PR

Friday 9 October 2026

Topics: Coalition’s immigration policy; credit card surcharges; Land Forces; One Nation

E&OE……………………………………

SIMON BEAUMONT: Good morning, Andrew. How are you?

ANDREW HASTIE: Good morning, Simon. Great to be back in Mandurah and WA. I'm well, thank you.

SIMON BEAUMONT: Yeah, nice to talk to you. The Libs, your colleagues, have rolled out the migration policy this week. Tell our listeners how it came about and what attempts to do.

ANDREW HASTIE: Sure. Since the pandemic, immigration numbers have been through the roof. We use the net overseas migration figure, which is the figure that reflects the number of people added to or subtracted from the Australian population due to international migration, and it's been at record highs under the Albanese government. It got as high as 550,000 a year. This year, it's about 300,000. And what we're saying is, if we come into government, we will cut immigration, we'll cut the numbers, and we'll increase the standards for entry into our country. We'll do this over four years – we'll remove about 650,000 temporary visas from the overall stock. Year one, the net overseas migration figure will be 100,000. Year two, NOM will be 100,000. Year three will be 130,000. And year four will be 160,000. This is the biggest immigration cut in Australia's history, and we're responding to the signal that the Australian people have sent us. I mean, you just come for a drive down to Mandurah, and you'll see how much our population has grown. WA, in fact, has grown the most since the pandemic, and we're feeling it on the roads every morning. It takes about an hour and a half to get to the city from Mandurah every day – a lot of listeners would probably have that experience themselves. Ramping hours are through the roof with our hospitals, and it's really hard to get a house, let alone buy one or rent one.

SIMON BEAUMONT: I was going to ask that, Andrew. It is tied to housing stock, is it?

ANDREW HASTIE: It is, but because the numbers are so big, we've got to drastically cut immigration, which is why we're going for 100,000, 100,000, 130,000, 160,000 for net overseas migration, and then we're going to cap immigration numbers – the net overseas migration figure – to housing completions every year. Last year we built about 170,000 homes nationally, but we still have a 400,000 home shortage, and so we've got to catch up. Which is why we're also going to bring in more skilled migrants, but specifically those who can build stuff in the construction sector. So, this isn't about stopping migration; it's about recalibrating it. It's about getting the numbers right and bringing in people who can actually contribute to our economy by building homes.

SIMON BEAUMONT: As a West Australian, you would know this, Andrew, that backpackers and the like come into Australia on a certain visa. They work for CBH, they work at the wheat bins, they work picking fruit, and importantly, they work in hospitality. There's been plenty of outcry from those industry sectors saying, "Hey, we still need people to work in a tourist shop, hire out a bike, work in a pub."

ANDREW HASTIE: That's right. I've represented people in the hills who have orchards, and they've relied on backpackers or working holiday makers over the last decade and beyond. I was at Williams Hotel on Friday night last week, and there were lovely waitstaff there from Ireland who are on Working Holiday Maker visas. So, all through the regions, we need these, which is why we're actually recalibrating that visa. We're actually going to make it less expensive to get a visa and work in the regions, and we'll increase the cost for a Working Holiday Maker visa in the cities because what we want is we want people working in our regions in those areas. Whether it's hospitality, farming, aged care, healthcare – we want people in the regions looking after Australians there.

SIMON BEAUMONT: This is Andrew Hastie, folks, senior Liberal, of course, West Australian senior Liberal, and the Member for Canning. Andrew, this one, I think has been on a little bit of a slow burn. This is the Reserve Bank and then Labor backing in the notion that we'll be paying less at tap and go points for coffee, for example. But we now realise small businesses will now cop that cost. They're the biggest employer in Australia, small business. It sounds like the ATO might be stepping back on the payment of tax on using credit cards, but what do you make of this fiasco around point of sale tap and go?

ANDREW HASTIE: I just think the Albanese Labor government doesn't understand the economy. Just because you make a card surcharge disappear doesn't mean the cost is eliminated – it's just cost shifted, and it's hidden. But what it will mean is for cafes, pubs and other places is that they'll just have to increase the price of their service, which will be reflected in your receipt anyway. And then the ATO followed suit and banned the use of credit cards as well. Again, that puts a lot of pressure on small businesses and families and the economy and that's why they've backflipped. That's why they've made the ATO implement this over a year in consultation with the community, which is code for "we got it wrong and we're running away from our position because we are fearing a backlash." So, this is just another indication – whether it's higher taxes, whether it's higher energy, whether it's now making silly decisions like this – this Labor government doesn't understand the economy.

SIMON BEAUMONT: Andrew, Land Forces has been in Perth this week, and it's been a commercial endeavour. A fair few police resources thrown at the event, not wanting a repeat of what we saw in Melbourne in 2024. Did you go?

ANDREW HASTIE: I did go, yes. I went there yesterday. I spent the first two days of the week in Sydney for the Joint Select Committee for Artificial Intelligence – we had hearings there. Then I flew back Wednesday night and went to Land Forces yesterday. I've got to say, I've got to commend the state government and the WA Police for the security that they provided. It cost $11.5 million and I was asked about this yesterday, and I said, "Well, it wouldn't cost so much if we didn't have crazy protesters and the Greens whipping up a frenzy every time Land Forces was put on." When I was in Melbourne a couple of years ago, the rioters were out of control. But Land Forces is about getting our defence technology space, our defence industry space together, inviting foreign militaries and companies from around the world to showcase what we do here in this country. In the end, we live in a dangerous world, so we do need a Defence Force. And if we're going to have a Defence Force, it may as well be the very best it can be, which is why exhibitions like Land Forces are so important.

SIMON BEAUMONT: Andrew, just on the matter of AUKUS, we'll have a rotation of the I think they're the Virginia class subs, American subs, coming through Garden Island, which is not far away from your patch. And in addition to which, we'll start making nuclear power subs, or acquiring nuclear power subs, that will become Australian subs, and they'll rotate through as well. Are you okay with nuclear-powered subs wandering in and out of HMAS Stirling?

ANDREW HASTIE: Yes, I am. I think there's nothing to fear from nuclear subs because we've had them coming alongside now for several years. There's a lot of protocols governing the use of nuclear submarines, and I'm confident that we've been doing it well with the Americans and the British for the last decade and beyond and I think we can do it ourselves here. What I am concerned about, though, is the impact of Submarine Rotational Force-West on our housing market. We're about to see a lot more Americans in Perth, which I welcome – they're close friends – but I'm worried about regular Australians not having the housing, and that putting more pressure on our housing market. And so, if Richard Marles, the Deputy Prime Minister, is listening, if Labor's Defence team is listening, why the heck are you selling off Leeuwin Barracks in Fremantle? Why couldn't we use that to build more homes to house some of the Defence personnel who are being posted here? That would take pressure off our housing market. This is the thing that I'm really riled up about. You do the same with Irwin Barracks at Karrakatta. These guys are selling off Irwin Barracks and Leeuwin Barracks – prime Defence real estate – which could be used to support AUKUS. You just can't make it up with these guys. I think they'll make about $2 billion out of the sales from all these bases across the country, which is an attack on our history and identity. You've got Victoria Barracks in Sydney and Melbourne, which they're trying to flog off as well. But it doesn't even touch the barrel in terms of the yearly Defence spend for the Budget. So, I just wanted to raise that with your listeners because it's really important. We don't we don't want more pressure in the housing market.

SIMON BEAUMONT: Well, some of the numbers around AUKUS, Andrew, are 6,000 people suddenly turning up, and as you say, they have to live somewhere. That's an interesting one. I mean, the developers are obviously licking their lips at being able to convert Irwin and Karrakatta into properties, which you would understand. But again, it's not being welcomed nationally, this this federal move. I wanted to ask you this, if I may, I know it's been some time since this bubbled to the surface. But you are combative – you have been a soldier, you're combative by profession and by personality. With regards to Pauline Hanson and One Nation, do you acknowledge that you are in a fight there, a political fight with them?

ANDREW HASTIE: Yeah, I do. Look, I'm no better friend, no worse enemy, and they made an enemy of me. They came and attacked my character and my service record, and by attacking me, they attacked a whole number of people who have been called to give evidence in the defamation proceedings a couple of years ago. I took it for a long time, and then they crossed the line. I think what I demonstrated, though, when I went head-to-head with Pauline Hanson, is that she's got a glass jaw, she goes to water under pressure. The very week that she announced immigration, she didn't appear once because she couldn't face the music and the questions that I'd put to her about some of the things that One Nation and her had endorsed and said about me. So, look, we are in a new era of politics. It's a three-cornered contest now. People still think in the whole two-party preferred system – it's a three-cornered contest. And if the Liberal Party isn't in the top two, we get eliminated, as we found out in the Secret Harbour by-election. So, I'm striving to win. I always want to win because I believe we have the best set of values and platform for this country, and I'm not interested in getting slops from One Nation in terms of preferences. I want to win outright.

SIMON BEAUMONT: Andrew, that cartoon, and there's some nuance here around the use of the word traitor and the W word as well – which apparently I'm not allowed to say, but the senator can say. There's some nuance around this. Some are saying it was about being a political traitor as opposed to a traitor to your country. Have you reflected on that?

ANDREW HASTIE: Well, no, because it was specifically used in the context of my being subpoenaed under law to give evidence in the defamation trial with Nine versus Ben Roberts-Smith. So, it was in the context of being a traitor specifically in my service record. It's kind of cute for people to try and back away and say, "Oh, it was a political comment about your political treachery." Whatever. I'm standing up for the 20 odd blokes who were called to give evidence, who don't have a voice in the media, who are getting trashed online. I feel very strongly about standing up for people who don't have a voice of their own. I hate bullies.

SIMON BEAUMONT: That cartoon is still up, Andrew. We had a look at it this morning, so they doubled, tripled, quadrupled down on it, didn't they?

ANDREW HASTIE: Yeah, they did. They did. Well, that's fine. And like I said – and I actually texted this to Barnaby Joyce – I said, "You guys want to keep going? I’ll go all the way with you." And you know what? I did a fundraiser off the back of this last month online, and I want to acknowledge everyone who committed some financial support to me. I found, in fact, eight out of 10 of the donors were new donors. So, there is a whole constituency out there who want good political leadership – they don't want the garbage and the trash that some people are offering - and what we need to do is defeat the Albanese government and turn this country around. Lower taxes, deliver cheaper power, cut immigration, build more homes, and invest in this country. We've got to build Australia into a strong country.

SIMON BEAUMONT: Andrew, just one other, which is a question without notice. We've just spoken to a fellow in Coral Bay who lives there. He's been lobbying for over 10 years to get a permanent war memorial on the foreshore in Coral Bay. I'm not sure if you heard it in the interview, but that's what he's about. And he's been offered a temporary war memorial by DBCA. What do you reckon?

ANDREW HASTIE: If you can get a temporary war memorial, that sounds good. I want to honour his efforts to get a war memorial. I think it's really important that we preserve our past and remember those who served us so congratulations to him.

SIMON BEAUMONT: Andrew, thanks very much for chatting for us. We'll do it again soon, hey. Thank you.

ANDREW HASTIE: No worries, Simon. Any time. Thank you.

[ENDS]