His performance at the ballot box may have stunned some in the Labor Party, but One Nation's candidate in the seat of Hunter, Stuart Bonds, says he is not shocked that he polled so well in the federal election.
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"I had a feeling we were going to do well," Mr Bonds says in a video interview with The Newcastle Herald. "I thought it would be brilliant if we could crack 20 per cent, to tell you the truth."
Stuart Bonds is the first interview subject in a new weekly online series, The Issue.
In the interview, the coal miner and farmer talks about why One Nation polled so well - and support for Labor dipped so dramatically - in Hunter. While his pro-coal stance meant he received backing from fellow miners, Mr Bonds concedes there will be "some disgruntled farmers" in his electorate.
Watch episode two: Has the Newcastle light rail been good for business?
"You cannot please everybody. And if you try and please everybody all the time, then you're going to get nothing done."
Each Thursday, The Issue will feature an interview with a local newsmaker, looking at what people are talking about, and learning more about who is shaping this region.
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