THE HON ANDREW HASTIE MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR CANNING

TRANSCRIPT
INTERVIEW WITH GARY ADSHEAD, ABC RADIO PERTH DRIVE

TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2025

Topics: Labor’s mismanagement of Collins-class submarine LOTE program, allegations of foreign interference in Australia, community safety, WA election.

GARY ADSHEAD: I've now got the shadow defence spokesperson, Andrew Hastie, on the line, who joins us. Thanks very much for your time, Andrew

ANDREW HASTIE: Thanks very much, Gary.

GARY ADSHEAD: Alright, just first up, because I did ask him specifically about your concerns around Collins-class submarines and whether there's delays in what I think you guys in the game described as LOTE, which means life of term of engagement, and expanding on that, what are your concerns?

ANDREW HASTIE: Well, Gary, first of all, Richard Marles needs a tow truck because his government's breaking down on Defence, particularly when it comes to the Collins-class submarine life of type extension (LOTE), which is basically an overhaul of the submarines - new generators, new diesel engines - to give the submarine a longer lifespan. And that's in place because we'll have a capability gap before we get our Virginia-class submarines in the next decade. So it's really, really important. And we've just learned that actually, they're scaling back the life of type extension of the submarines, which means we won't get as much life out of them. The Albanese Government hasn't been honest with the Australian people about this. Last week, or two weeks ago rather, we had Richard Marles saying that it was still 'doable'. We had officials at Estimates confirming that it was the government's intention to conduct a life of type extension on all six submarines when, in fact, we know they're scaling it right back. And that's because they've under invested in Defence - they've cut out $80 billion from the Defence Budget.

GARY ADSHEAD: Alright, can I just ask you generally on AUKUS, you know, I did ask the Defence Minister whether they were confident that without doubt, anything that might go on between the US and the Australian administration around tariffs and trade and other issues, would not come back on the AUKUS agreement, and it is locked in and moving forward. What do you say to that? Do you agree?

ANDREW HASTIE: My sense of the relationship is that it's very close, and AUKUS has been institutionalised. So yes, it's first and foremost a political agreement between the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of the UK, and our government here. But it's also being built from the bottom up, with our sailors being embedded in the US Navy and Americans coming here, our relationship with the UK, of course, across defence industry, getting ready to build our SSN-AUKUS next decade. There's a lot happening in AUKUS that would make it very hard to shut down, if that's the question. So I'm optimistic about AUKUS, but it's going to require some very sophisticated statecraft and diplomacy from Anthony Albanese and Labor over the next few weeks, because it is a rocky time. And what I've said, and what the Coalition would say, is that we have a very deep relationship with the US. But of course, it's not a one way relationship. We're not just getting their submarines; we also provide strategic depth. The US has facilities in Alice Springs, in Darwin, in Geraldton, and they're building a facility just down the freeway from you in Rockingham, where they'll house a squadron of US submarines from 2027. So I think we've got sufficient leverage to demonstrate that the US is getting a lot out of the AUKUS arrangement and it's important to keep re-emphasising that.

GARY ADSHEAD: Can I just turn to something else that's sort of unfolded in the last 24 hours, and I'm sure you've heard about it. It's this situation with a former Hong Kong pro-democracy activist who now lives in Australia. His name is Kevin Yam, and he works in universities over east. He has become aware that there have been letters sent to people in Melbourne with a picture of him and details of where he lives, etc, asking for any information that might help locate him. And it would appear, from conversations I had with Penny Wong earlier this morning, that they believe that those letters are emanating from Hong Kong, potentially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the police. What do you make of it?

ANDREW HASTIE: Well, it's very serious and concerning that we potentially have Australians or permanent residents here in this country potentially being targeted for intimidation by foreign governments, if that is the case. And so our view is that this should be referred immediately to the Australian Federal Police who run an espionage and foreign interference task force, and it should be investigated to the fullest extent and if wrongdoing has been found, then, of course, the law should be applied. We should also, through diplomatic channels, make it very clear of what our expectation is from our trade partners and our neighbours about our sovereignty and our social cohesion, and this is again where we need a strong response from the Albanese Government to stand up for our interests.

GARY ADSHEAD: So do you have a view, though, given that this, you know, offer in the letter included $200,000 for the information on him, that he should be afforded protection by the Australian Government?

ANDREW HASTIE: Absolutely. I mean, if you're living in our country, and you're a law-abiding citizen, and you're being targeted by a foreign government, yeah, absolutely, we should be saying: this should not and should never happen in our country - not on our shores in Australia. That's why we have an espionage and foreign interference task force. That's why we have robust espionage and foreign interference laws. So we should be enforcing the law on this with an investigation and charges if there are people in breach of the law. It's very simple. We've got to come down hard on this stuff to protect all people living in our borders.

GARY ADSHEAD: I might come back to that a bit later on the program, by the way, when I play some of what Penny Wong had to say to me earlier this morning at a breakfast function. Can I just ask you, we're all a bit sort of confused about whether Peter Dutton is serious about a referendum around deporting dual citizen criminals. Is he? Or it just a thought bubble?

ANDREW HASTIE: My understanding is that Peter Dutton is very keen to make sure that those who are dual citizens and who commit terrorism offenses be returned to the country they came from. We don't want people here with dual citizenship committing terrorist offenses and getting a free ride off the taxpayer here. And so it's really a question of, what do we think is acceptable for Australian citizenship? Now, it's complex, as you know -it's been played out in the courts - and so I think Peter's finding a way to make sure that we can actually exercise that authority if we win government.

GARY ADSHEAD: Do you think the Australian public could swallow another referendum, though?

ANDREW HASTIE: Look, I'm sure that we'll have a discussion about this in the future. Right now, we're focused on getting Australia back on track, strengthening our economy, boosting our defence spending, securing our supply chains, getting young Australians into homes, helping people out. That's what we're really concerned about at the moment, and that's what we're focused on at this election.

GARY ADSHEAD: So you wouldn't sort of go forward into an election with that as a policy then that there would be a referendum on that?

ANDREW HASTIE: My understanding is that there isn't a policy at this point in time. We're focused on really core issues, cost of living, getting young Australians into homes and easing the pressure on people in the mortgage belt. It's very simple. That's where we need to meet people at their point of need.

GARY ADSHEAD: Can I just ask you, as I haven't spoken to you since the state election here, and I know that you made some comments afterwards, which you say points to the fact that the Liberal Party perhaps needs to start looking at those seats on the outer metropolitan fringes, as opposed to those inner suburban seats, or those metropolitan seats, because that's where the swings were happening. In terms of looking at the data, is that still your thinking?

ANDREW HASTIE: Absolutely, Sir Robert Menzies, the founder of the Liberal Party, talked about the forgotten people and we've got to ask ourselves, who are forgotten people right now? And that's everyday Australians living in the outer metro regional parts of this country who get stuck in traffic every day because of the congestion, who can't get into a home because they're priced out, who have to deal with the ramping crisis in our hospitals, who are struggling to pay the bills - whether it be food, groceries, gas, fuel, health insurance premiums, school fees. You name it, they're struggling. They need representation, and I believe our party has a bright future in the outer metropolitan areas by the way, Gary, where I represent. I'm proud to represent Mandurah and I'll always fight for our interests down here in the Peel region.

GARY ADSHEAD: Okay, and so you'll be having those discussions, no doubt, with the federal Liberal Party about the strategy and the tactics going into this campaign, because you obviously have a view that the state Liberal Party perhaps missed the mark?

ANDREW HASTIE: Well already, I was in Thornlie actually, on the weekend, launching the campaign for our Liberal candidate in Burt, Sean Ayers. Peter Dutton is in Swan tonight with Mic Fels, our candidate there. We've had Susan Ley down to Mandurah this morning, she's been up in Bullwinkel this afternoon with Matt Moran and, of course, Jan Norberger up north in Pearce. We are fighting hard for support in the outer metropolitan areas of WA.

GARY ADSHEAD: Alright, just make sure Peter Dutton knows he's more than welcome to join us on ABC drive when he's in town, just let him know that.

ANDREW HASTIE: I'm sure love he'd love a tune up from you, Gary.

GARY ADSHEAD: Andrew Hastie, thanks very much for your time.

ANDREW HASTIE: Thanks, Gary. Cheers.

[ENDS]