Key facts
- Mike Newman, an investment banker, has been appointed as the new leader of One Nation in New South Wales.
- Newman will also be the party's candidate for the Cessnock seat in the March 2027 state election.
- His policy platform includes reducing payroll tax by half, eliminating it in regional areas, and freezing public servant numbers.
- Newman also proposed introducing private sector-style Key Performance Indicators into the public service.
- He stated the party's aim to 'get rid of wokery'.
One Nation has appointed investment banker Mike Newman as its New South Wales leader and its first candidate for the lower house in the lead-up to the March 2027 state election. Newman, who has a background as a trade bureaucrat in Asia and worked in Japan for 25 years, will contest the Cessnock seat, a Labor stronghold for nearly four decades.
Newman's policy agenda for NSW includes significant reductions in payroll tax, with a proposal to halve it statewide and eliminate it entirely in regional areas. He also plans to freeze the number of public servants and implement private sector-style Key Performance Indicators, particularly for senior executives, stating that performance targets must be met to receive payment.
Addressing potential concerns about the party's stance on diversity, Newman highlighted his Japanese wife and Indian business partners, asserting that he would not be involved with a racist organisation. He also articulated the party's intention to 'get rid of wokery'.
One Nation is currently polling at 25% in New South Wales, according to a July Resolve poll, positioning it ahead of the Coalition and behind Labor.