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Hamish Hastie

Hamish Hastie

The Sydney Morning Herald

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The little coastal corner of Perth sending shivers through Australian politics

The little coastal corner of Perth sending shivers through Australian politics

The Secret Harbour byelection confirms suspicions that One Nation has made inroads into outer suburban Australia, and can draw votes away from Labor...

previous day 10

WA Today

Hamish Hastie

A storm is brewing south of Perth, and it ain’t the weather

A storm is brewing south of Perth, and it ain’t the weather

The surge of One Nation in successive polls and the party’s lower house success in South Australia earlier this year has turned Secret Harbour into...

28.08.2026 20

WA Today

Hamish Hastie

$100 will barely fill my tank, but I’ll take free money when its on offer

The headline of today’s budget was a novel $100 “fuel support payment” that will only just be enough to fill my the tank of my Ford Focus once...

07.05.2026 30

WA Today

Hamish Hastie

Labor has already hurled billions at WA’s spot fires. What’s left in the budget?

Pick the political thorn in the side of the Cook government and West Australian Treasurer Rita Saffioti has already fired the money cannon at it.

07.05.2026 30

WA Today

Hamish Hastie

I came across a man dying... and felt totally useless

I knew I needed to help. And I wanted to help. But I found myself frozen, standing around like a traffic cone at a car crash.

26.02.2026 40

WA Today

Hamish Hastie

The honeymoon period is over: What’s in store in WA politics in 2026

With the election settled, the start of 2026 looks very different to 2025 and each party faces unique challenges as we move into the guts of the...

31.12.2025 40

WA Today

Hamish Hastie

The best roasts of 2025 in WA’s new parliament

A re-energised and (slightly) better resourced opposition under Basil Zempilas has fired up their Parliamentary strategy and, in turn, prompted the...

29.12.2025 40

WA Today

Hamish Hastie

WA’s ‘fairness fighters’ are heading east to talk GST. Will anyone listen?

Heralding Roger Cook, Rita Saffioti and Michael Barnes’ arrival will be a $1 million ad blitz in newspapers, on radio, online and on Canberra...

03.11.2025 30

WA Today

Hamish Hastie

Roger Cook’s getting paid another $13k a year. Here’s what he should spend it on

Premier Roger Cook was given a $13,740 pay bump with a stroke of the pen from the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal.

24.06.2025 30

WA Today

Hamish Hastie

A boring budget isn’t such a bad thing in a chaotic world

With the threat of sporadic tariffs and nations teetering on war, a boring budget feels like a warm blanket.

20.06.2025 20

WA Today

Hamish Hastie

What can punters expect from today’s ‘non-sexy’ WA budget?

Those hoping for a surprise cost of living boost outside of the election commitments may be disappointed.

19.06.2025 10

WA Today

Hamish Hastie