One Nation candidate Stuart Bonds creates history in the race to win the Hunter
In the wash-up of this month's federal election, it would appear that Stuart Bonds has pulled off what no other One Nation candidate in the House of Representatives could achieve by becoming one of the two preferred candidates for the seat of Hunter.
The other candidate was the sitting member and now returned member for Hunter Labor's Dan Repacholi. Mr Repacholi easily held onto the seat, achieving a 4 per cent swing based on first preferences.
However, one cannot ignore the continued success of Mr Bonds and One Nation in the electorate of Hunter.
Commenting on the result of his Facebook page, Mr Bonds said, "It will be the first time in history that One Nation has achieved this two-candidate-preferred result at a federal level in NSW and the second time ever across the country.
He added that if Muswellbrook were still in the Hunter electorate, he would have expected it to be a more significant result for himself and the party.
The Australian Electoral Commission has the pair on a two-candidate-preferred (TCP) basis as Mr Repacholi with 59,000 votes and Mr Bonds with 41,000 votes.
Every other contest across the country for the House of Representatives had either Labor or a Coalition candidate against each other, or the Greens and an Independent as the two-candidate preferred outcome after preferences.
On first preference votes, Mr Bonds (17,999) was third behind Repacholi (48,539) and The Nationals Sue Gilroy (20,295), but he attracted strong support when it came to preferences.
Ms Gilroy placed him second on her how-to-vote card, but Mr Repacholi had him in ninth and last place on his card.
This is Mr Bond's third federal contest, having gained national prominence in 2019 when he gained 21 per cent of first preferences (22,000 votes) giving the then sitting member, Labor's Joel Fitzgibbon, a significant scare and making the once safe seat marginal.
In 2019 there was a much closer gap between Mr Bonds in third place and the second-placed national candidate, Josh Angus. Preferences from several smaller parties and the Nationals, no doubt, assisted in boosting his position on the TPC count this year.
Having been returned in Hunter, Mr Repacholi was taken on a new role
by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as the Special Envoy for Men's Health in the new Parliament.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Repacholi said this role is a chance to shine a national spotlight on the unique health challenges facing Australian men and boys, from mental health and suicide prevention to chronic illness and access to healthcare services.
"Having spent much of my life representing Australia and working in regional communities, I know firsthand how important it is to engage men early, support them consistently, and build a health system that works for everyone," he said.
"I'm committed to working closely with experts, advocates, and everyday Aussie blokes and women to ensure all fellas - big or small, old or young, bearded, moustached or clean-shaven - are as healthy as possible.
"We need real conversations, resources, and results, and I'm looking forward to the challenge."
In an interview with Matthew Knott in the Sydney Morning Herald ( April 22), Repacholi answered the question about his new, trimmed-down appearance. He has lost 30kg since September, a fact he told the Herald that he puts down to starting a treatment of Mounjaro, an Ozempic-style injectable medicine that helps suppress appetite and encourage weight loss.
He said he struggled to control his weight throughout adulthood.
Repacholi has competed at five Olympics as a sports shooter, and he said missing out on qualifying for his sixth spun his diet out of control.
"I ate and ate and ate," he said in the interview, reaching a peak of 152kg. After consulting with Labor's Mike Freelander and Gordon Reid, both doctors, he decided to try Mounjaro.
"They said give it a go and it's the best thing I've ever done," he said.
In the wash-up of this month's federal election, it would appear that Stuart Bonds has pulled off what no other One Nation candidate in the House of Representatives could achieve by becoming one of the two preferred candidates for the seat of Hunter.
The other candidate was the sitting member and now returned member for Hunter Labor's Dan Repacholi. Mr Repacholi easily held onto the seat, achieving a 4 per cent swing based on first preferences.
However, one cannot ignore the continued success of Mr Bonds and One Nation in the electorate of Hunter.
Commenting on the result of his Facebook page, Mr Bonds said, "It will be the first time in history that One Nation has achieved this two-candidate-preferred result at a federal level in NSW and the second time ever across the country.
He added that if Muswellbrook were still in the Hunter electorate, he would have expected it to be a more significant result for himself and the party.
The Australian Electoral Commission has the pair on a two-candidate-preferred (TCP) basis as Mr Repacholi with 59,000 votes and Mr Bonds with 41,000 votes.
Every other contest across the country for the House of Representatives had either Labor or a Coalition candidate against each other, or the Greens and an Independent as the two-candidate preferred outcome after preferences.
On first preference votes, Mr Bonds (17,999) was third behind Repacholi (48,539) and The Nationals Sue Gilroy (20,295), but he attracted strong support when it came to preferences.
Ms Gilroy placed him second on her how-to-vote card, but Mr Repacholi had him in ninth and last place on his card.
This is Mr Bond's third federal contest, having gained national prominence in 2019 when he gained 21 per cent of first preferences (22,000 votes) giving the then sitting member, Labor's Joel Fitzgibbon, a significant scare and making the once safe seat marginal.
In 2019 there was a much closer gap between Mr Bonds in third place and the second-placed national candidate, Josh Angus. Preferences from several smaller parties and the Nationals, no doubt, assisted in boosting his position on the TPC count this year.
Having been returned in Hunter, Mr Repacholi was taken on a new role
by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as the Special Envoy for Men's Health in the new Parliament.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Repacholi said this role is a chance to shine a national spotlight on the unique health challenges facing Australian men and boys, from mental health and suicide prevention to chronic illness and access to healthcare services.
"Having spent much of my life representing Australia and working in regional communities, I know firsthand how important it is to engage men early, support them consistently, and build a health system that works for everyone," he said.
"I'm committed to working closely with experts, advocates, and everyday Aussie blokes and women to ensure all fellas - big or small, old or young, bearded, moustached or clean-shaven - are as healthy as possible.
"We need real conversations, resources, and results, and I'm looking forward to the challenge."
In an interview with Matthew Knott in the Sydney Morning Herald ( April 22), Repacholi answered the question about his new, trimmed-down appearance. He has lost 30kg since September, a fact he told the Herald that he puts down to starting a treatment of Mounjaro, an Ozempic-style injectable medicine that helps suppress appetite and encourage weight loss.
He said he struggled to control his weight throughout adulthood.
Repacholi has competed at five Olympics as a sports shooter, and he said missing out on qualifying for his sixth spun his diet out of control.
"I ate and ate and ate," he said in the interview, reaching a peak of 152kg. After consulting with Labor's Mike Freelander and Gordon Reid, both doctors, he decided to try Mounjaro.
"They said give it a go and it's the best thing I've ever done," he said.
In the wash-up of this month's federal election, it would appear that Stuart Bonds has pulled off what no other One Nation candidate in the House of Representatives could achieve by becoming one of the two preferred candidates for the seat of Hunter.
The other candidate was the sitting member and now returned member for Hunter Labor's Dan Repacholi. Mr Repacholi easily held onto the seat, achieving a 4 per cent swing based on first preferences.
However, one cannot ignore the continued success of Mr Bonds and One Nation in the electorate of Hunter.
Commenting on the result of his Facebook page, Mr Bonds said, "It will be the first time in history that One Nation has achieved this two-candidate-preferred result at a federal level in NSW and the second time ever across the country.
He added that if Muswellbrook were still in the Hunter electorate, he would have expected it to be a more significant result for himself and the party.
The Australian Electoral Commission has the pair on a two-candidate-preferred (TCP) basis as Mr Repacholi with 59,000 votes and Mr Bonds with 41,000 votes.
Every other contest across the country for the House of Representatives had either Labor or a Coalition candidate against each other, or the Greens and an Independent as the two-candidate preferred outcome after preferences.
On first preference votes, Mr Bonds (17,999) was third behind Repacholi (48,539) and The Nationals Sue Gilroy (20,295), but he attracted strong support when it came to preferences.
Ms Gilroy placed him second on her how-to-vote card, but Mr Repacholi had him in ninth and last place on his card.
This is Mr Bond's third federal contest, having gained national prominence in 2019 when he gained 21 per cent of first preferences (22,000 votes) giving the then sitting member, Labor's Joel Fitzgibbon, a significant scare and making the once safe seat marginal.
In 2019 there was a much closer gap between Mr Bonds in third place and the second-placed national candidate, Josh Angus. Preferences from several smaller parties and the Nationals, no doubt, assisted in boosting his position on the TPC count this year.
Having been returned in Hunter, Mr Repacholi was taken on a new role
by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as the Special Envoy for Men's Health in the new Parliament.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Repacholi said this role is a chance to shine a national spotlight on the unique health challenges facing Australian men and boys, from mental health and suicide prevention to chronic illness and access to healthcare services.
"Having spent much of my life representing Australia and working in regional communities, I know firsthand how important it is to engage men early, support them consistently, and build a health system that works for everyone," he said.
"I'm committed to working closely with experts, advocates, and everyday Aussie blokes and women to ensure all fellas - big or small, old or young, bearded, moustached or clean-shaven - are as healthy as possible.
"We need real conversations, resources, and results, and I'm looking forward to the challenge."
In an interview with Matthew Knott in the Sydney Morning Herald ( April 22), Repacholi answered the question about his new, trimmed-down appearance. He has lost 30kg since September, a fact he told the Herald that he puts down to starting a treatment of Mounjaro, an Ozempic-style injectable medicine that helps suppress appetite and encourage weight loss.
He said he struggled to control his weight throughout adulthood.
Repacholi has competed at five Olympics as a sports shooter, and he said missing out on qualifying for his sixth spun his diet out of control.
"I ate and ate and ate," he said in the interview, reaching a peak of 152kg. After consulting with Labor's Mike Freelander and Gordon Reid, both doctors, he decided to try Mounjaro.
"They said give it a go and it's the best thing I've ever done," he said.
In the wash-up of this month's federal election, it would appear that Stuart Bonds has pulled off what no other One Nation candidate in the House of Representatives could achieve by becoming one of the two preferred candidates for the seat of Hunter.
The other candidate was the sitting member and now returned member for Hunter Labor's Dan Repacholi. Mr Repacholi easily held onto the seat, achieving a 4 per cent swing based on first preferences.
However, one cannot ignore the continued success of Mr Bonds and One Nation in the electorate of Hunter.
Commenting on the result of his Facebook page, Mr Bonds said, "It will be the first time in history that One Nation has achieved this two-candidate-preferred result at a federal level in NSW and the second time ever across the country.
He added that if Muswellbrook were still in the Hunter electorate, he would have expected it to be a more significant result for himself and the party.
The Australian Electoral Commission has the pair on a two-candidate-preferred (TCP) basis as Mr Repacholi with 59,000 votes and Mr Bonds with 41,000 votes.
Every other contest across the country for the House of Representatives had either Labor or a Coalition candidate against each other, or the Greens and an Independent as the two-candidate preferred outcome after preferences.
On first preference votes, Mr Bonds (17,999) was third behind Repacholi (48,539) and The Nationals Sue Gilroy (20,295), but he attracted strong support when it came to preferences.
Ms Gilroy placed him second on her how-to-vote card, but Mr Repacholi had him in ninth and last place on his card.
This is Mr Bond's third federal contest, having gained national prominence in 2019 when he gained 21 per cent of first preferences (22,000 votes) giving the then sitting member, Labor's Joel Fitzgibbon, a significant scare and making the once safe seat marginal.
In 2019 there was a much closer gap between Mr Bonds in third place and the second-placed national candidate, Josh Angus. Preferences from several smaller parties and the Nationals, no doubt, assisted in boosting his position on the TPC count this year.
Having been returned in Hunter, Mr Repacholi was taken on a new role
by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as the Special Envoy for Men's Health in the new Parliament.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Repacholi said this role is a chance to shine a national spotlight on the unique health challenges facing Australian men and boys, from mental health and suicide prevention to chronic illness and access to healthcare services.
"Having spent much of my life representing Australia and working in regional communities, I know firsthand how important it is to engage men early, support them consistently, and build a health system that works for everyone," he said.
"I'm committed to working closely with experts, advocates, and everyday Aussie blokes and women to ensure all fellas - big or small, old or young, bearded, moustached or clean-shaven - are as healthy as possible.
"We need real conversations, resources, and results, and I'm looking forward to the challenge."
In an interview with Matthew Knott in the Sydney Morning Herald ( April 22), Repacholi answered the question about his new, trimmed-down appearance. He has lost 30kg since September, a fact he told the Herald that he puts down to starting a treatment of Mounjaro, an Ozempic-style injectable medicine that helps suppress appetite and encourage weight loss.
He said he struggled to control his weight throughout adulthood.
Repacholi has competed at five Olympics as a sports shooter, and he said missing out on qualifying for his sixth spun his diet out of control.
"I ate and ate and ate," he said in the interview, reaching a peak of 152kg. After consulting with Labor's Mike Freelander and Gordon Reid, both doctors, he decided to try Mounjaro.
"They said give it a go and it's the best thing I've ever done," he said.
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