Western Australian MP Andrew Hastie has announced he’s quitting his role as home affairs shadow minister and will move to the backbench.
The member for Canning said he was quitting because he was not being given the reign to drive immigration policy. The resignation follows Hastie’s earlier declaration that he’d stand down if the party refused to move away from a commitment to net-zero emission targets.
The resignation will undoubtably fuel speculation of a leadership challenge against Liberal leader Sussan Ley, with a number of growing disagreeing MPs moving to the backbench. Just weeks ago Ley was forced to sack Jacinta Namijinpa Price, her shadow minister for Indigenous Affairs, after the Northern Teritory senator publicly refused to back her leadership.
“The leader has made it clear that the shadow home affairs minister won’t lead the Coalition’s response to immigration matters or develop the Coalition’s immigration strategy,” Hastie said in a statement.
“On this basis, I made the decision that I was not able to continue in this role and remain silent on immigration.
“It is a well-established standard in the Westminster system that, if a member of the shadow cabinet is unwilling to live by the convention of solidarity, they must depart to the backbench.”
Hastie said Ley should continue as leader, just without him as part of her shadow cabinet team.
“Sussan deserves the opportunity to lead, unencumbered by interventions from shadow cabinet colleagues, especially as the Coalition builds out a policy platform for the 2028 election,” he said.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have served as the shadow home affairs minister, and I wish Sussan and the shadow cabinet every success in this term.” Hastie said.
Ley has thanked Hastie for his service, but agreed that the Westminister system requires team member who cannot show solidarity in public to stand down.
“This expectation is not new and is a fundamental feature of our Westminster system of government. Compliance with this convention has always been a prerequisite for serving in both cabinet and shadow cabinet,” Ley said.
In recent week’s Hastie has been outspoken about his views on immigration, manufacturing and environmental issues, while also making no secret of his long term leadership ambitions.
At the 2025 election Hastie bucked the trend amongst Liberal MPs by increasing the vote in his electorate of Perth’s southern suburbs. The former SAS soldier has often been touted as a future conservative leader.
