FACTS ON FREE SPEECH You may have seen claims that the Liberal Party of Australia “supported hate-speech laws”.   That claim is false  and it is being pushed deliberately to mislead Australians. So before anything else, here is the truth in plain English.   THE NEW LAWS ARE NOT “SPEECH POLICING” Claims that these laws are about controlling speech are wrong. These are counter-extremism laws, not ideological censorship. They target organised violent extremist activity, not lawf

The Liberals WA Listening Tour has hit the ground running for 2026, this time in beautiful Esperance! Together with Steve Martin MLC and local member Peter Rundle MLA, we met with local businesses, community and agri-business groups, local Government, as well as the Esperance Liberal Branch. A common theme we heard from locals is that they feel ignored by WA Labor, and that was especially true at Esperance Senior High School. With the most maintenance defects out of any schoo

If energy policy were judged on superficial speeches and symbolism, Chris Bowen’s 2025 performance could be declared a triumph. He has announced, promised and travelled – and basked in any international admiration that came his way. Unfortunately for Australian families, manufacturers and workers here at home, it is outcomes, affordability, reliability, confidence and economic security that matter. Bowen’s energy plan is failing to deliver any of this. He is the architect of

As is often the case when the Albanese Government makes a multibillion-dollar announcement, the devil is in the detail. Labor’s plan to sell-off more than 60 Defence assets is no exception. Already, there are serious concerns about this proposal, particularly its effect in erasing a Defence presence from our cities. Here in WA, that includes the Irwin and Leeuwin barracks. According to the Government’s own report, these barracks support roughly 1150-1200 and 350-400 personnel

Joondalup Citizenship Ceremony 26 January 2026 Australia day is an opportunity for all of us to celebrate the values, freedoms, and opportunities that make our country so great. It’s also a day that reminds us that Australia is a nation built by people from all over the world, and it was a particular honour to welcome some of our newest citizens at the City of Joondalup’s 2026 Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony. You can read my remarks from the ceremony below, or watch it her

I am proud of our great country, and I am proud of our flag.  I believe we live in the greatest country on earth. I support Australia Day because I believe our country is worth celebrating - its freedoms, its people, and the opportunity it offers to millions who call it home. Our way of life is worth defending and our national day is worth celebrating. Australia Day should always be a moment when a vast and diverse continent pauses to reflect on what binds us together. Our sh

by Senator Dean Smith – originally published in The West Australian on 07 January 2026 China’s concerning move to impose quotas and tariffs on Australian beef is not just another trade story — it is a clear demonstration of what happens when our national leadership becomes complacent and ineffective. It exposes the Albanese Government as having failed to anticipate risk and take proactive steps to mitigate it. As a result, Labor has once again jeopardised Australia’s produc

by Senator Dean Smith – originally published in The West Australian on 30 December 2025 Western Australians may have embraced Christmas with cheer, but there is now an ever-growing sense of New Year fear. It stems from a repeated warnings made this year from the Governor of the Reserve Bank. Michele Bullock has made it clear: if Australia’s inflation problem persists, interest rates may need to begin to rise again in 2026. Following the RBA rate decision earlier this month,

by Hon. Steve Martin MLC – Originally published in Countryman, 10 December 2025 The WA Government’s recent revelation that the WA sheep flock has plummeted 30 per cent in the past three years is distressing but not surprising. At a recent Estimates hearing into the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s 2024-25 annual report, I asked the WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis for the latest flock numbers and was told the flock had shrunk to 8.6 million a