Australia's One Nation keeps candidate despite backlash over migration speech

One Nation, an Australian right-wing party, has given no sign it will remove Stuart Bonds from its upper house ticket for the New South Wales state election in March 2027, despite a wave of criticism over a speech against migration. He spoke at an anti-immigration rally in Sydney on Sunday, and a video was posted on Facebook.

Bonds said Australians were being “demographically replaced” in their own country. The phrasing echoes the “great replacement theory”, a far-right conspiracy theory claiming white westerners are being deliberately replaced by non-white immigrants. In a podcast released on Monday with the rally's organiser, the Australian Lobby Group, he appeared to stand by his remarks. On Wednesday he told ABC he was citing Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showing the share of overseas-born Australians rose from 10% in 1945 to 32% in 2025. The source notes the highest share, 32.4%, was recorded in 1891.

Reaction from politicians

NSW Premier Chris Minns called the comments “frankly outrageous and racist”. The state government passed motions in both houses censuring Bonds, who is not yet a member of parliament. Opposition leader Kellie Sloane, of the Coalition, said his language was “clearly divisive” but did not rule out working with One Nation in a minority government after the election.

State One Nation leader Mike Newman did not directly say whether he agreed with Bonds. He described him as a patriotic Australian and former coalminer with very strong views.

Election outlook

Election analyst Antony Green said the remarks played into Labor's hands in Sydney's multi-ethnic seats. Kos Samaras, a director of polling firm Redbridge, said One Nation could do very well in the regions. The upper house quota is 4.5% and One Nation has polled around 30% in recent months, making Bonds all but certain to be elected.