He once loved the Liberals so much that he drove around with a John Howard corflute stuck to his work van.
But former state MP Nathaniel Smith has joined the growing list of former NSW Liberals gunning for a spot on One Nation’s upper house ticket and is seeking to demonstrate his value to his new colleagues by showing off his fundraising skills.
Smith, the former Wollondilly MP who lost his seat to independent Judy Hannan at the last election, will host an “exclusive private lunch” fundraiser with Mike Newman, the populist party’s leader, next month.
Tickets are not cheap. In a text message from Smith to potential invitees — including other One Nation-curious former Liberals — he states the going rate is $2000 a head.
On social media, Smith, who also ran unsuccessfully for the Liberals in the seat of Whitlam last year’s federal election, has spruiked another upcoming fundraiser with Newman in Oran Park. That event is $175. “Do yourself a favour and book in for this event!” he wrote.
The former MP, whose father, Greg Smith, was NSW attorney-general under Liberal premier Barry O’Farrell, did not respond to requests for comment. However, multiple sources said Smith was understood to be among a crowded field of former Liberals jockeying for a spot on One Nation’s upper house ticket at the March election.
The Herald has previously reported that a conga line of former Liberal MPs are vying to run for the party next year, belying the populist party’s anti-establishment narrative.
They include former federal Senator Hollie Hughes, former Warringah candidate Katherine Deves and former NSW upper house MP Lou Amato.
It marks a dramatic shift for Smith. As recently as March, he attended a 30th anniversary celebration of Howard’s election and praised his “good friend” Matt Canavan’s elevation as federal Nationals leader, calling it “our best chance, with Angus Taylor, of getting back on top again”.
The influx of ex-Liberals into the party is prompting growing frustration for some of the One Nation faithful, as well as its backers.
Joanna Howe, a prominent anti-abortion activist, last week hit out at the influx of former politicians into One Nation, warning that letting “too many ex-Libs” in would “destroy the party”.
Howe is not a member of One Nation — she donated $2000 to the NSW Liberal Party last year — but she has a large conservative following on social media, and she has conducted a series of podcast interviews with Pauline Hanson. She also hosted Newman at a rally in Sydney last month.
“One Nation needs to reject applicants from ex-Libs or career politicians/staffers,” she wrote.
“They need real people with ordinary jobs to create a new breed of politician in Australia.”
Howe was responding to comments from former Victorian Liberal candidate Colleen Harkin, who is now One Nation’s deputy leader in that state, saying the party would “not touch the abortion laws”. The party’s federal charter states the party will “roll back brutal and extreme abortion law”, including reducing gestational limits on abortion and banning sex-selective abortion.
She said Newman had been rebuked after he went further than the federal party policy in his comments at her rally — saying the party wanted to see abortion rights “stopped” — but Harkin had not.
“It takes years to build a reputation and only seconds to destroy it,” she wrote.
Though she was referring to the Victorian election, Howe’s comments reflect a growing concern within some of the party at the influx of ex-Liberals into One Nation’s ranks.
The exodus of Liberals to One Nation has prompted feverish speculation about the potential for further defections. On Friday, right faction Liberal Tanya Davies was forced to deny she would join One Nation after she announced she would not contest the next election.
The Herald is aware of at least one other former Liberal MP — who is still a member of the party — being linked to a potential shift.
Newman declined to comment on Smith’s potential candidacy as the party is still in the selection process. However, he said he wanted candidates from a wide range of backgrounds.
“The most important thing for me is that people bleed orange; that’s the No.1 criteria,” he said.
“The biggest problem we face in government is that there are too many people who are career politicians. It doesn’t matter if you’re an ex-Liberal or ex-National or whatever, it’s what do you bring to the party?”
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.