National Party pledges to expel 'hate and racism' as four more Young Nats resign over alt-right connection

Extract from ABC News

By Nour Haydar and Nick Sas

Updated about 7 hours ago

Photo: Nationals leader Michael McCormack (L) says the investigation into the alt-right push into the party is continuing (ABC News: Mark Moore)

Related Story: Australia's alt-right plans to shake up mainstream politics, manifesto reveals

Related Story: Mass resignation of Young Nationals after alt-right push exposed

Four more Young Nationals with alleged connections to an alt-right movement have resigned from the National Party, as senior leaders say they "will not rest" until all extremists are expelled.

Key points:

• The National Party releases a statement declaring "hate and racism" has no place in its party
• 19 Young Nationals have now resigned since the ABC uncovered an alt-right push within the party
• The Nationals' NSW arm unanimously passes a motion on Friday banning any member involvement with white supremacist groups

The statement, released by the National Party leadership on Friday following an ABC investigation into an alt-right push inside the party, came as the party sent letters to a further three members requesting them to resign or show cause why their membership should not be cancelled.
A total of 19 members of the Young Nationals have now resigned since the party's constitution and ethics committee launched an investigation following revelations by the ABC's Background Briefing program.
In a joint statement, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro and Nationals chairman Bede Burke said they were "extremely pleased" that these people had resigned from the party.
"We are glad the investigation was handled quickly and effectively," the statement said.

"But [we] will not rest until every last one of these extremists have been identified and removed from the party.

"The politics of hate and racism have no place in our party or any modern democracy, and we will not tolerate attempts by extremists to hijack democratic processes to further their own ends.
"The views promoted by these people go beyond the 'contest of ideas' that politics should be about and are instead the same small-minded, hateful beliefs that Australians have always stood against."
The party's constitution and ethics committee's investigation into "far-right infiltration of the party" would continue, it said in the statement.
A group of 15 Young Nationals resigned on Wednesday in letters sent to the NSW executive of the party.
Another letter, "An Open Defence, by Clifford Jennings" sent along with the resignation letter accused the National Party of being complicit in a "trial by media" and questioned the party's immigration policy.

Photo: Clifford Jennings (third from the right at the back) poses for a Young Nationals group photo. (Facebook: Young Natioanls)

Mr Jennings, the party's former coordinator for the Sydney metro region, wrote at length on his alleged treatment by the party, with the three-page letter outlining a number of complaints.
The letter also delved into immigration policy, with Mr Clifford writing "young white Australians" were rebelling against the "hopeless Coalition leadership that has dragged down Australia since the 1970s".
The Background Briefing report from earlier in October revealed members of the NSW Young Nationals had been attending a secret men's-only fight club set up by some of the country's most prominent alt-right nationalists.
It also revealed the existence of a Facebook group, called The New Guard, where members of the Young Nationals who described themselves as fascists shared plans to shake-up mainstream politics.
More NSW Young Nationals were found to be sharing alt-right jokes, references and conspiracy theories online.
The NSW Nationals unanimously passed a motion on Friday banning any member involvement with white supremacist groups the Lads Society, Squadron 88, The Dingoes, New Guard or Antipodean.