One Nation candidate for Hunter, Stuart Bonds, has taken a firm stance against net zero policies, vowing to fight for the coal industry and push for Australia’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Bonds, a Singleton-based mechanic and cattle farmer, will represent One Nation in the 2025 federal election, positioning himself as the only candidate standing against the mainstream parties’ climate commitments.
“I’m standing for One Nation because this party stands with coal industry workers in the Hunter region,” Bonds said. “We’re the only party opposed to net zero policies and advocating for Australia’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.”
Bonds criticized both Labor and the Coalition for their net zero commitments, arguing that they will cost taxpayers up to $1.5 trillion while driving up energy prices and causing shortages. He dismissed renewable energy expansion in the Hunter Valley as ineffective, claiming it has done nothing to curb global emissions but has instead increased electricity costs for households and businesses.
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One Nation’s energy policy, according to Bonds, will prioritize reliable coal and gas, leading to a 20% reduction in power bills. The party also pledges to abolish the Department of Climate Change and associated programs, which Bonds says will save taxpayers $30 billion annually. “We won’t let jobs and the economy in Hunter be sacrificed on the altar of the cult of climate change,” he said.
Beyond energy policy, One Nation’s broader economic plan aims to slash government waste by $90 billion, redirecting $40 billion back into Australians’ pockets while tackling federal debt. The plan includes income splitting for couples with dependent children, a 50% cut to the fuel excise for at least 12 months, a freeze on alcohol excise increases, and reforms to Medicare bulk billing. The party also proposes allowing aged pensioners and veterans to work without losing pension benefits.
Bonds, who previously ran for One Nation in Hunter in 2019 and secured over 21% of the primary vote, remains critical of Labor’s approach to coal. “Labor pretends to care about coal workers in the Hunter Valley, but in truth, they are determined to destroy the industry with their obsession over renewable energy targets and net zero,” he said. “I’m here for Hunter, and I’ll be putting the interests of this electorate first with policies that provide real cost-of-living relief, real tax relief, and real support for the industries that matter to my community.”
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