THE extreme right Australia First Party (AF) will field an independent candidate at next year's state election after failing to meet the electoral commission's deadline to register.
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The AF is expected to make an announcement about their candidate for the seat of Wagga in coming weeks, but the candidate will not bear the name of the party at the ballot box, according to AF national president Doctor Jim Saleam.
The party supports abolishing multiculturalism and is running on a local platform of opposing foreign investment, combating health privatisation and imposing stricter drug controls including the establishment of a drug rehabilitation centre in the city.
Dr Saleam said the candidate will not be branded as an independent candidate.
"It's more honest to do it that way because effectively he is a party candidate," he said.
Dr Saleam, who is a convicted felon, accepted it is a fringe party with minority views.
"We say that we don't have voters, we have followers, we think there is a core of people that identify with Australia First because they harbour nationalist and patriotic perspectives of Australia's future," he said.
"To be effective it isn't necessary to have a large voting clientele.
"But we may neutralise a few per cent of Daryl Maguire's vote."
The sitting member, Daryl Maguire, holds the seat with a margin of 14.3 per cent.