THE HON ANDREW HASTIE MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR CANNING 

TRANSCRIPT

INTERVIEW WITH BRIDGET BRENNAN, ABC NEWS BREAKFAST

Tuesday 12 August 2025

Topics: Palestinian recognition.

E&OE……………………………………

BRIDGET BRENNAN: Shadow Home Affairs Minister Andrew Hastie joins us now from WA to discuss the government's decision to recognise a Palestinian state. Good morning to you, and thanks for joining us on the program.

ANDREW HASTIE: Good morning, Bridget.

BRIDGET BRENNAN: What's your take on the government's momentous decision to recognise a Palestinian state, after really, 70 years of global indecision on this?

ANDREW HASTIE: Well, Bridget, the Coalition thinks this is a bad decision, and it's historic for all the wrong reasons, because it rewards and it empowers Hamas, and it diminishes a close democratic ally in Israel. Hamas, in the space of two years, using extreme violence, has been able to achieve what Yasser Arafat could not achieve in a lifetime. I think it sends the wrong message to terrorist groups around the world, but particularly Hamas, which still enjoys widespread support in both the West Bank and Gaza.

BRIDGET BRENNAN: Does it reward Hamas, or does it reward the self determination of the Palestinian people who have called for this for such a long time?

ANDREW HASTIE: I completely appreciate and I understand the desire for Palestinian statehood. But whilst Hamas remains in control of Gaza, whilst Hamas is still holding hostages, whilst Hamas still enjoys popular support in the West Bank and Gaza, and whilst armed resistance is still considered a legitimate way of reaching statehood, I think this was the wrong move by the Australian government – by the Albanese Government. Penny Wong, last night on 7:30, said that this is designed to isolate Hamas. The question I have is, how? That's fine rhetoric from so many thousand kilometres away from Gaza itself, but who's going to demilitarise Hamas? Who's going to take their weapons? Who's going to ensure that the hostages are handed back? Who's going to separate them out from the population? And in that sense, I think this almost guarantees more bloodshed, which is why I think this is a profoundly bad decision at this time.

BRIDGET BRENNAN: The Prime Minister emphasised on our program this morning that there needs to be a political solution, not a military solution, given the enormous bloodshed we've seen for nearly two years in the region. Do you agree that there is time now for a different track?

ANDREW HASTIE: I want nothing more than a diplomatic settlement. I would love to see Hamas return the remaining hostages. I would love Israel to cease military operations. But while Hamas is still in control of Gaza, whilst Hamas still holds starving and almost dying hostages, we're not going to see a diplomatic settlement. And so by recognising Palestinian statehood and trying to isolate Hamas rhetorically, it ignores the reality on the ground, and that is that Hamas still is the most popular faction for the Palestinian people. They still hold 74 of the 132 seats on the Palestinian Legislative Council. So what's the plan to remove Hamas from the situation? And moreover, Bridget, last year in Beijing, Hamas and Fatah signed the Beijing Declaration, which committed to a national unity government. So is Fatah now going to push Hamas out? How's this all going to work? These are questions I think that both Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong need to answer today.

BRIDGET BRENNAN: Andrew Hastie, what do you make of Israel's decision to extend the war in Gaza and to occupy Gaza City?

ANDREW HASTIE: I understand their desire for security, especially after what happened on October 7. But I'd love to see a diplomatic settlement. I'd love to see the hostages returned, and I'd love to see the normalisation of relations between Israelis and the Palestinian people. I'd love to see peace in the region. That's what I'd love to see, which is why I've expressed caution to Israel. When you look at Gaza on Google Earth, you'll see that it's been largely destroyed. It's rubble. We'd all like to see peace, but I think this decision by the government is not going to bring that anytime soon. In fact, whilst Hamas remains in power, this war will continue.

BRIDGET BRENNAN: And would it potentially endanger some of the hostages? There's believed to be around 20 still alive in Gaza.

ANDREW HASTIE: Absolutely. My heart breaks for the families who have loved ones, who have been used in propaganda videos, who've been shown digging their own graves. I'd love to see those people return to their families. They're the innocents. And likewise, there's been a lot of innocent people killed in Gaza through war. That's why this bloodshed is ultimately owned by Hamas. That's why any plan going forward for statehood must have very clear conditions on removing Hamas from power, demilitarising and then normalising relations between the Israeli and the Palestinian people. We all want peace. That's what we all want. I just think this empowers and emboldens Hamas.

BRIDGET BRENNAN: Just to clarify, my question went to, does any further military advancements in Gaza risk endangering the remaining hostages as well?

ANDREW HASTIE: I think absolutely it does. Yes, no question.

BRIDGET BRENNAN: Is Israel listening to its allies? Because so many Western countries are requesting that Israel heed their warnings on this, and that doesn't appear to be happening.

ANDREW HASTIE: We're thousands of kilometres away here in Australia. We're far removed from it. I'm not Palestinian, I'm not Israeli, and we have limited our agency as a government, let alone as opposition. We can just express our concerns as friends. Of course, this could all end right now if Hamas brought those hostages up out of those stinking tunnels and handed them back to the Israelis so they could be reunited with their families. That is the pathway to peace. It's the simple pathway to peace. And then potentially we could talk about Palestinian statehood. But while hostages remain in captivity, whilst Hamas remained in control of Gaza, we don't see a pathway forward at this time.

BRIDGET BRENNAN: Andrew Hastie, thanks for your time on the program this morning.

ANDREW HASTIE: Thank you, Bridget.

[ENDS]