Is Andrew Hastie Australia’s Best Hope?

Posted on by Constitutional Nobody

Politics is perhaps the most depressing aspect of Australia today, with a political class more detached from the public than ever before. We complain, we protest, we grow outraged—but nothing changes. If anything, things only get worse, and it feels as though no one in Canberra is listening.

Australia is sinking deeper into debt, weighed down by record migration, a crushing tax burden, destructive energy policies, and a cost-of-living crisis that shows no sign of easing. For many Australians, the search is on for a politician who will genuinely represent the people—someone who actually stands behind them. Increasingly, the question is being asked: Is Andrew Hastie that politician?

Hastie is no ordinary MP. A father of three, son of a Presbyterian minister, and a committed Christian, he has represented the seat of Canning in Western Australia since 2015. Before politics, he served as an officer in the SAS, deploying to Afghanistan. His military background no doubt shaped his strong views on defence, foreign policy, and national security. He has since served as Assistant Minister for Defence and Shadow Minister for Defence.

But what makes Hastie stand out in an era of incompetent and inept career politicians is, as many supporters put it, his “common sense.” Some now regard him as the most promising Prime Ministerial contender Australia has had in years—and his popularity is certainly rising.

From mass immigration to the housing crisis and destructive climate policies, Hastie is confronting the very issues that everyday Australians care about.

Housing Crisis and Immigration

Hastie has been outspoken on the link between Australia’s housing shortage and immigration. He highlights how demand has surged well beyond supply, pointing to both record migration and relentless interest rate hikes.

“House prices have risen sharply, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne,” he explained, noting that net overseas migration has brought in 1.5 million people, while interest rates have risen 13 times in just a few years.

The result, he argues, is a crisis of affordability: “Many young Australians have lost hope of owning a home.”

To tackle the problem, Hastie has proposed a five-point plan: reduce migration to “sensible levels,” restrict foreign investors from purchasing property, and prioritise Australians. He frames the issue bluntly:

“Now, Labor talk about our housing supply crisis, but this is a housing demand crisis driven by unsustainable immigration. It’s that simple.”

Hastie also linked housing unaffordability to Australia’s plummeting fertility rate:

“Many young Australians have lost hope of owning a home. And if they can’t build a home, it’s very hard to start a family. That might, in part, explain the collapse of our fertility rate to 1.5 births per woman—the lowest in our history.”

He contrasts this decline with record population growth driven by immigration:

“Post-COVID, net overseas migration (NOM) has exploded,” he said. “In 2023–24, the NOM is 446,000 people. The largest group: temporary students with 207,000 arrivals. In the last few years, we’ve added nearly a million extra people to our population.”

For Hastie, the conclusion is clear: “We must act. Net overseas migration must come down. First allegiance is to all Australian citizens, and making sure they have a roof over their heads.”

“Between 2000 and 2019, net overseas migration averaged about 190,000 a year. Under Labor, their first two years, it was half a million each year—so they added more than 1 million in their first 2 years, 70% higher than any other period of our history.”

The result, he said, is “a housing demand crisis, congestion in cities, essential services struggling, hospital ramping, and social cohesion issues.”

Net Zero and Green Energy

Hastie has repeatedly sounded the alarm on the risks of Australia’s rush to net zero. Citing the Australian Energy Market Operator’s own warnings, he argued:

“The risk of insufficient infrastructure investment, risk of early coal retirements, the risk that markets and power system operations are not yet ready for 100% renewables, risk that people don’t actually realise what’s happening… The race to net zero may also push up some costs… meaning power bills are rising because the costs of this transition are increasing.”

He explained that Australians are being told they are becoming “self-sufficient” by installing household batteries—but in reality, “You are the grid.”

The transition, he insists, is being artificially propped up:

“If it weren’t for taxpayer subsidies—basically subsidies for renewable generation—the green energy push wouldn’t survive.”

Hastie said: “Don’t dare lecture the Australian people about the need for us to get net zero. China hasn’t committed to a net-zero target… India’s 2070, and they’re growing emissions year on year.”

Climate Hypocrisy

Hastie sharpened his attack in Parliament, accusing Labor and the UN of hypocrisy:

“I’m calling out the moral hypocrisy of the net zero zealots, and I do this on behalf of regular Australians who are the ones bearing the cost of Labor’s reckless climate and energy policy.”

He targeted UN Climate Chief Simon Stiell directly: “That is the bloke who travels the world, presumably on planes powered by fossil fuels, demanding radical climate targets from countries… while China accounted for 30.7% of world emissions last year and grew 1.2%.”

The reality, Hastie argues, is that Australians are being punished for just 1.1% of global emissions while foreign-backed projects profit:

“Australians can’t stand hypocrisy, and hypocrisy lies at the heart of the net zero economy this government is building… Our seniors, our workers, small businesses, and heavy industry bear the cost of Labor’s net zero policies.”

The Voice to Parliament

Hastie also opposed Anthony Albanese’s Voice to Parliament referendum in 2023:

“I’ll be voting no because of two reasons. Number one, I believe that all Australians are equal before the law… And this voice will undermine that. It will create a special class of citizens with more say and more rights than the rest of us.

“Number two, it undermines our Westminster system of government… Frankly, I much prefer Westminster government over Voiceminster government. There are too many risks. None of the questions have been answered.”

Not Just A Warrior, But A Poet Also

What’s more, Hastie, the Warrior-Poet, recently ran the 2025 Canning Shakespeare Competition for students in his electorate, where he opened the proceedings with his own remarkable performance of the St. Crispin’s Day speech from Henry V:

Beyond Politics

In a recent interview with the National Conservative Institute of Australia, Hastie went broader—reflecting on why mainstream parties have failed to address mass immigration, why Australia has not reassessed trade policy like the US, the radicalisation of Western youth, and what made Australia once “arguably the most successful nation in the world.”

He also discussed the growing risk of domestic turmoil compared to foreign conflicts, and offered advice for young Australians seeking meaningful military service.

It’s an impressive interview well worth watching, and it highlights the fact that Hastie is speaking to frustrations many thought no one in Canberra would voice. And that is giving Australians hope.

WATCH:

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Author: Staff Writer

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