Stuart Bonds, who leads the One Nation party list for the upper house of the New South Wales parliament, sparked controversy with remarks about demographic replacement in Australia. At an anti-immigration rally in central Sydney on Sunday, Bonds warned that Australians would be replaced if mass migration were not stopped.
Several hundred people attended the rally, among whom one neo-Nazi, Joel Davis, was noted. Lyle Shelton, national director of the Family First party and former head of the Australian Christian Lobby, was also present. Bonds emphasised that a country is a shared culture, borders, flag, language and dominant religion. He also stated that after 240 years, Australians are still told they are on stolen land and should apologise for their presence.
Bonds criticised immigrants, claiming that those who arrived recently or individuals such as the Bondi attackers are not as Australian as others. He added that demographic replacement is impossible to reverse if it is not stopped, and warned that Australia could become a special economic zone within Asia, emphasising the need to re-establish a proud Australian identity.
These claims triggered sharp reactions. Chris Minns, a politician who commented on Bonds’ statements, called them "honestly horrifying and racist" and described them as a conspiracy theory imported from the US. Minns also raised the question of what role Bonds would have in the event of a One Nation victory and whether the coalition would distance itself from his views if the party entered government.
On the other hand, the racial discrimination commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman warned that statements suggesting some Australians are superior to others fuel division and hatred. He stressed that migrants can be truly Australian and that they are key to the country’s history and future. Federal minister for multicultural affairs Anne Aly also highlighted that people with migrant backgrounds are not a replacement for Australians, but part of Australian society. She warned that questioning someone’s belonging based on race or origin constitutes dangerous and divisive rhetoric.
Stuart Bonds further claimed that the socialist plan is to destroy the civilisational order, citing examples of European countries in crisis. His statements continue to cause division in Australian society, while political and public figures call for unity and acceptance of multiculturalism.
