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

TRANSCRIPT
INTERVIEW WITH SHARRI MARKSON, NEWS24

Wednesday 9 September 2026 

Topics: One Nation.

E&OE……………………………………

SHARRI MARKSON: Andrew Hastie joins me now live from Canberra. Andrew, thank you for your time. Look, today you called on Pauline Hanson to take down a cartoon where you were called a traitor. Well, here's what she told Chris Kenny tonight.

*EXCERPT PLAYS*

So, Andrew, she says it's satire. She isn't taking it down, and she's even directed people to go look at it. What's your response to her comments tonight?

ANDREW HASTIE: Well, I said she was a lying coward today, and I stand by those words. I also think she's taken the weak option. Today, I gave her the option of owning the words or deleting the cartoon. She's done neither. She's shown herself to be weak, glass-jawed, and I think both of those things disqualify her as a future prime minister, which is what she claims to be. I'm not standing back at all. I've made my position very clear.

SHARRI MARKSON: She said tonight, with Chris Kenny that the cartoon is satire, that you should toughen up, that you're making a mountain out of a molehill.

ANDREW HASTIE: Well, that's just ridiculous. The word traitor has a very specific meaning in the context in which it was used in that video eight times. I've had all sorts of abuse from people who've seen that video – and beforehand, actually – and I've had to have security upgrades to my office and my house. So, this is a very serious matter, and I'm not backing down. That's why I called her a lying coward.

SHARRI MARKSON: I just want to get a bit more detail on that. So, you're saying the abuse that you've received from One Nation supporters, has led to a serious security incident?

ANDREW HASTIE: Not a security incident per se, but I've been identified for upgrades to my home and my office. I've had Home Affairs Department officials through both those locations to look at ways that they can improve my security for my family, who I spend a lot of time away from.

SHARRI MARKSON: By One Nation supporters?

ANDREW HASTIE: People who were very exercised by the issue that she raises in that video, which, by the way, was authorised by her. So again, she's just taken the weak option, and I think Australians can see what kind of leadership she would offer as a prime minister.

SHARRI MARKSON: So, you are still calling for her to take down the cartoon. Are you considering legal action?

ANDREW HASTIE: I'm not interested in legal action. I just want her to either own the cartoon or take it down. Like I said, she's shown herself to be weak. Meanwhile, she's got lickspittles like Rowan Dean coming out and minimising it, calling it satire when, I remember very clearly, he was crying rivers for Gina Rinehart when the ABC played a satirical thing about her – which I agreed with him at the time, by the way. I think that should have been taken down, it was an appalling video. But he's shown himself to be hypocritical tonight by backing in this Pauline cartoon.

SHARRI MARKSON: Okay, let's not criticise my own colleagues. Rowan Dean is a colleague of mine, a friend too, so let's not criticize him on air. And I don't want to get sidetracked with the hypocrisy with Gina Rinehart, unless you do want to go there. I mean, do you want to go there with Gina Rinehart? Are you saying that Gina – as a One Nation donor – is behind this campaign against you?

ANDREW HASTIE: I don't know. I'll let other people make their judgements. My point was simply –

SHARRI MARKSON: But you've just brought Gina Rinehart into it so do you think she is behind it?

ANDREW HASTIE: Well, I think that the video that was played by the ABC of Gina Rinehart was appalling and should have been taken down. I was simply highlighting that there are people on this channel who have argued that but tonight made the opposite point. It's a double standard.

SHARRI MARKSON: I mean, the broader issue is One Nation is targeting you in Canning. You're a strong conservative so, do you believe them when they say that their aim is to unseat the Labor government?

ANDREW HASTIE: That's a good question. How are they going to do preferences down the ballot? Are they going to preference Albanese ahead of me? That's a decision they'll have to make. But certainly, after raising $5 million to 'Fire the Liar', I find it really ironic that they're spending a lot of time and energy trying to unseat good conservatives like me. Now, I'm more than happy for One Nation to run, but when you start calling me a traitor, when you start attacking me personally and turning your supporters against me, well, guess what? I will go all the way to the end, and it will be very, very costly for Pauline Hanson.

SHARRI MARKSON: You're saying it will be costly, but you've said you don't want to take legal action, so it does sound like you are considering it.

ANDREW HASTIE: I'm not considering legal action. Legal action is something that you do when you –

SHARRI MARKSON: So how is it costly?

ANDREW HASTIE: Well, look at this right now. We're having a public conversation about this. The last thing she needs is me highlighting all her weaknesses as a leader. Today – a failure to take responsibility for our actions.

SHARRI MARKSON: Right, the political cost. Look, one of the reasons One Nation is targeting you is because you testified against Ben Roberts-Smith. You're arguing that you did this because you were subpoenaed, you were legally required to testify, and if you didn't, you'd be found in contempt of court. Is that right?

ANDREW HASTIE: That's right. Exactly right. I and along with more than 20-odd SAS combat veterans were also subpoenaed, and they gave evidence under oath as well. And so, the question for Pauline Hanson again: are they traitors? Are they traitors to their country as well? I'm not backing down, Shari.

SHARRI MARKSON: But it was more than a subpoena, wasn't it? I mean, the court transcripts show that you agreed to questions from Arthur Moses, that you had given information and comment to Chris Masters concerning SAS operations in Afghanistan. You were a source for their war crime story.

ANDREW HASTIE: Yeah, they had come to me several times. They actually came to me and placed me in Siyah Chow which is one of the missions in question. So, they had me in location before I even knew they were writing the story. As a public figure, sometimes you don't get choices here. I'm not resiling from what I did, by the way, I'm standing by my testimony which I gave under oath, before God. Justice Besanko declared me a straightforward witness in his judgment. My point now is that shouldn't be the reason for a political party to weaponise my evidence against me and other veterans who have given evidence as required by law.

SHARRI MARKSON: I think the issue is that the argument you've put forward is that you were subpoenaed, you were legally required, but then you did admit in court to being a source of Chris Masters and Nick McKenzie, and even as I understand it, the proposition from Arthur Moses in court was that Nick McKenzie was a friend of yours. You accepted that.

ANDREW HASTIE: I didn't accept that. I actually said a friend of sorts. You're never friends with journalists, Shari, as you know. I've been a source for you in the past and it has tested our relationship.

SHARRI MARKSON: Well, that is true, and I do understand that. But I've got that quote here. Arthur Moses says, "I don't want to speculate on Mr McKenzie's loyalty, but do you accept the proposition that he is a friend of yours?" You said, "sure, if you want to call it that."

ANDREW HASTIE: Yeah, precisely. And I think I followed up maybe a paragraph later by saying that with journalists, you never really treasure a friendship; it's a transactional relationship.

SHARRI MARKSON: He's also referred to Nick McKenzie in articles as a moral champion and a rising star. You said you did have a relationship of trust with him over five years. You went on 60 Minutes in 2019 when the allegations of war crimes first broke. Let's have a look at that clip.

*EXCERPT PLAYS*

I'm not saying you did the wrong thing – certainly not saying you're a traitor – but it's not as simple as you responding to a subpoena, is it, when you were clearly a source for the stories against Ben Roberts-Smith?

ANDREW HASTIE: Well, Shari, I don't see what point you're making here. I'm more than happy to stand by what I said in 2019. I'm happy to stand by what I said in 2022. It doesn't change the fact that Pauline Hanson has called me a traitor eight times in one of her videos, which she authorised, and I'm not backing down. What she has done today has shown weakness as a leader. So, we can go back over the past – I wouldn't be here on your program if I was concerned that you might. A little surprised you've gone there, but whatever, I'm happy to talk about it.

SHARRI MARKSON: Well, this is the issue at the heart of why she's called you a traitor, and many Australians are furious at how Ben Roberts-Smith was treated. How he was arrested at Sydney Airport when he'd offered to hand himself in on multiple occasions over the past six months. They're furious that the Albanese government has spent a reported $300 million pursuing him over the years. So, it's not just One Nation, there is this anger at how he was treated, and you'd have to admit, this has damaged you politically.

ANDREW HASTIE: I stand by what I have done in the past. I'm not going to resile from that on your program. Moreover, what's happened in the last year or so, that's a responsibility for the government. I'm not involved in operations, and I'm not involved in the case. So, I'm not sure what your point is here, except to say that we are where we are, there are allegations to be answered, but I'm sure as hell not going to be called a traitor by someone else in the Parliament and let them get away with it. I'm calling Pauline Hanson out. That's what I've done, and she's shown herself to be weak in responding to my comments.

SHARRI MARKSON: Last year, you did a preference deal with the One Nation candidate in your electorate of Canning. What's happened in that short space of time with One Nation?

ANDREW HASTIE: Nothing. I was on the record in March as saying the One Nation candidate, Fernando Bove, was a great guy, and I respected him. I see him regularly around town, I don't have an issue with him. But there is something directing One Nation in this direction, and I'm calling it out, and many Australians are tired of it. And frankly, let's see what Pauline Hanson has to say but I think she's revealed herself to be weak.

SHARRI MARKSON: You're still young, you're 43 years old. I know you support Angus Taylor; he's a friend of yours. Do you still have leadership ambitions down the track?

ANDREW HASTIE: I certainly had leadership ambitions back in January, February – they've been put on ice. I support Angus Taylor, and I think my actions demonstrate my loyalty and support for the Leader. Our focus is getting to the next election and winning so that we can cut taxes, we can deliver cheaper power, we can cut immigration, build more homes, and invest in nation-building projects that sets this country up for the future. That's what we're focused on.

SHARRI MARKSON: I mean, many would say that you are the succession plan for the Liberal Party currently, and One Nation is targeting you. They are putting financial resources, James Ashby said they've got 400 members or so in your electorate. So, they are targeting you, a future leader of the party, aren't they?

ANDREW HASTIE: I don't know. Maybe it just comes down to the fact that I was prepared to give evidence, and I was prepared to say that there are standards of battlefield conduct. Maybe it's just as simple as that. And if that's the case, well, then I wouldn't want One Nation's support anyway. I believe in the rule of law. I believe that ANZAC has meaning. It's meant to be about people of integrity doing the right thing, and there are allegations that need to be answered. And frankly, I'm not going to be bullied, nor will other witnesses, and tonight, I'm speaking for them specifically. I'm not going to back down.

SHARRI MARKSON: Yeah. Well, thank you for coming on the show. Thank you for answering the questions, and we'll see how One Nation responds tomorrow. Andrew Hastie, thank you very much.

[ENDS]