One Nation selects former investment commissioner Mike Newman as state leader
New South Wales – The One Nation Party has announced Mike Newman, the former New South Wales investment commissioner, as its new state leader. Newman says his priority is to make the state more business‑friendly by following the models of Texas and Florida.
Electoral ambitions and policy pledges
Newman is contesting the Labor‑held seat of Cessnock in the Hunter Valley for the 2027 election. He argues that cutting business regulation and supporting non‑renewable energy will attract investment and jobs.
Under his leadership, One Nation vows to eliminate payroll tax for regional businesses and halve it for metropolitan firms. Newman explained the motivation behind the proposal, quoting the common refrain he hears from employers: “We’d like to hire more people, but we’re sort of playing off against how much payroll tax we may or may not have to pay.” He repeated the same statement when describing market feedback: “The message we hear out in the market is always the same thing: ‘We’d like to hire more people, but we’re sort of playing off against how much payroll tax we may or may not have to pay.’”
Energy and taxation stance
Newman contrasted New South Wales with California, claiming that the latter’s “very heavy net zero, very left‑wing kind of style of government” has driven 1.2 million people away since the COVID‑19 pandemic. He argued that low taxes and cheap energy are decisive factors for attracting residents and businesses.
The party also pledged to abolish the state’s renewable energy zones (REZ). Federal member for New England Barnaby Joyce summed up the position: “We want the REZs dead and buried in the swamps with the mammoths.” One Nation repeated the commitment to abandon the REZ program.
Views on power generation
Newman described the planned closure of the Eraring coal‑fired power station as “economic suicide.” He advocated retaining coal and adding nuclear power to the state’s future energy mix, insisting that less business regulation and greater investment in non‑renewable sources are essential.
He highlighted his experience with the nuclear supply chain, saying he has “worked very closely with the entire nuclear supply chain. I know how well and effectively it is all managed.” Newman also criticised the Labor government’s narrative, calling it the “three‑eyed fish narrative, which is the low‑resolution politics we should expect.” He again used the Joyce line about the REZs: “We want the REZs dead and buried in the swamps with the mammoths.”
