Hamish Hastie is WAtoday’s State Politics Reporter, specializing in infrastructure, economic policy, and climate governance. With a career spanning suburban journalism to high-stakes political reporting, he deciphers how legislative decisions ripple through communities.
“The best stories live where spreadsheets meet streetlights—that’s where you’ll find me.”
Word count: 2,150 (BIO), 400 (SHORTBIO)
Hamish Hastie’s journalism career began as a rebellion against what he called the "sinking ship" of early 2010s media landscapes. After studying mass communications, he initially pursued PR roles but soon returned to his roots at Perth’s Examiner Newspapers, covering hyperlocal stories in suburban communities. This foundation in grassroots reporting shaped his knack for identifying systemic issues hidden in municipal budgets and community grievances.
This 2023 analysis unpacked Western Australia’s largest-ever infrastructure allocation, emphasizing its implications for regional connectivity and carbon emissions. Hastie cross-referenced treasury documents with interviews from rural mayors, revealing tensions between urban-centric projects and neglected agricultural corridors. The piece became a benchmark for debates on equitable resource distribution.
A provocative 2024 op-ed arguing that the Liberal Party’s revival depended on embracing high-profile candidates like Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas. Hastie blended electoral data with insider accounts of party factionalism, predicting a shift toward personality-driven politics. Critics praised its unflinching assessment of declining party loyalty among voters.
Hastie’s 2021 breaking coverage of the state’s initial COVID-19 lockdown combined real-time press conference updates with vignettes of small-business owners. By juxtaposing government messaging with on-the-ground confusion, he highlighted gaps in crisis communication strategies—a theme later cited in parliamentary reviews.
Hastie prioritizes stories that connect state/federal policies to household impacts. For example, his 2023 piece on interest rate hikes examined how Perth’s mortgage belt neighborhoods disproportionately absorbed financial strain compared to mining regions. Successful pitches should mirror this approach, such as analyzing renewable energy subsidies through regional employment data.
With a track record of scrutinizing public spending (e.g., his 2022 series on hospital funding shortfalls), Hastie welcomes leaks or documents exposing mismanagement. A recent scoop on delayed school infrastructure relied on whistleblower testimony cross-checked with procurement records.
While he occasionally profiles political figures, Hastie avoids gossip or personality-focused narratives. A 2024 pitch about a minister’s personal life was rejected in favor of analyzing their policy record. Focus instead on systemic issues within institutions.
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