Arabic version: هاستي يدلي بشهادته في محاكمة تشهير بولاند

According to ABC News, federal Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has testified in the Supreme Court in a defamation case brought by Perth developer Greg Poland over a covert recording and two 2019 WAtoday articles. Mr Poland is suing Fairfax, now absorbed by Nine, two former journalists, Mr Hastie, two of his staffers and former WA Liberal leader Zak Kirkup over their alleged roles in sharing the recording.

The articles alleged Mr Poland planned to dispose of millions of tonnes of “toxic” soil from Perth’s airport rail tunnel at a property south of Perth on behalf of the WA government while he held a senior board position at a government authority. Mr Poland says the reports conveyed that he was corrupt and made secret deals between government and private businesspeople without due process. He denies those claims.

The court heard a 46-minute recording of a 2019 meeting at the Subiaco Hotel between Mr Poland and sand miner Aaron Grainger. On the recording, Mr Poland discussed access to then-Transport Minister Rita Saffioti and a possible land-swap proposal concerning the soil. Mr Grainger said he recorded the meeting without Mr Poland’s knowledge because he thought he was being “set up”.

Mr Hastie said Mr Grainger had emailed the audio to his office and that he sent it by WhatsApp to former WAtoday journalist Nathan Hondros. He denied wrongdoing and did not accept that he had promised Mr Grainger not to share it. He said he may also have sent it to Mr Kirkup, though he did not recall doing so. Mr Hastie said he believed the matter was significant for the state government and was concerned the Peel region could become a “dumping ground”.

Former WA minister Alannah MacTiernan also gave evidence, saying she had nominated Mr Poland as deputy chair of the Peel Development Commission in 2017. She said she had no recollection of discussing the airport soil disposal with him and told him it was in his “best interest” to resign after WAtoday sought responses before publication. Ms Saffioti and former Labor ministers Dave Kelly and Ms MacTiernan are expected to give evidence.