FORMER One Nation candidate Stuart Bonds has thrown his support behind Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate Sue Gilroy in the Upper Hunter by-election caused by the resignation of the National Party's Michael Johnsen.
In a statement this afternoon, the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers (SFF) also said it would introduce legislation to the NSW parliament covering some of the mining industry issues that Mr Bonds had been campaigning about with One Nation.
The SFF said Mr Bonds would join Sue Gilroy at Burdekin Park at Singleton tomorrow at 11am to endorse her candidacy.
Ms Gilroy is well-known in the region as the president of the Singleton Business Chamber.
Nominations for the by-election close at noon on Thursday and the by-election is on Saturday, May 22.
"Following a bitter falling out with One Nation over their support for the controversial federal industrial relations reforms, Stuart will be endorsing Sue following her genuine commitment to improving standards and compensation for coal miners within the region," the SFF statement said.
"This commitment has extended more widely by the Shooters Fishers and Farmers party as they have agreed to move a Notice of Motion for a Bill in NSW parliament before the by-election to propose changes to mining worker's compensation.
"The proposed Bill will ensure that casual workers are compensated in the same way as full-time employees, as well as licensing on restricting the abuse of employers on casual workers.
"Mr Bonds performed strongly for One Nation in the 2019 federal election in the seat of Hunter, recording more than 21 per cent of the primary vote.
"He spent two years campaigning against casual mine workers and wage theft, however recently quit after One Nation senators Malcolm Roberts and Pauline Hanson supported a bill on March 17 that could halve casual miners' compensation claims in class actions for working regular hours."
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