Katherine Deves to run for One Nation in New South Wales election
Australia's right-wing One Nation party has named Katherine Deves, who campaigned to exclude transgender women from women's sport, as an upper house candidate for the New South Wales state election. The vote will be held on 13 March.
The Australian party One Nation announced four candidates on Sunday for next year's New South Wales state election, which will take place on 13 March. Among them is Katherine Deves, a failed federal Liberal candidate who previously campaigned to exclude transgender women from women's sport. She will contest a seat in the state's upper house, the Legislative Council.
The candidates were named by One Nation's NSW leader, Mike Newman. The other three are Arnon Wither, a construction worker from the Hunter region who works as an electorate officer for Senator Sean Bell; Manti Steele, a farmer, teacher and mother of eight from Dubbo; and Daniel Hill, a surf lifesaver from the state's south coast. Newman described the candidates as "authentic" people from the real world rather than career politicians.
One Nation has so far announced only one lower house candidate, Newman himself in the electorate of Cessnock. He said the party would field candidates in all 93 lower house seats.
Deves's background and pledges
Deves was handpicked by then prime minister Scott Morrison to run in the federal NSW seat of Warringah in 2022. Her campaign was marred by controversy, including when she likened anti-trans activism to standing up against the Holocaust.
On Sunday, Deves said she joined One Nation because she wanted to be part of the rescue, recovery and restoration of the nation. She criticised the government over rising living costs and what she called destructive ideologies. If elected, she said she would seek changes to state laws on discrimination, hate speech, vilification and birth certificates, in order to restore clear language on biological sex.
Non-disclosure requirement
One Nation requires its state election candidates to sign non-disclosure agreements barring them from discussing a potential candidacy with the media. News24 reported last month that Deves would run for the upper house, and she announced in September that she had joined the party.
