Former One Nation star candidate Stuart Bonds hopes his endorsement of Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party candidate Sue Gilroy will help her claim victory in the Upper Hunter byelection.
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Mr Bonds, who was spectacularly ejected from One Nation following a fall-out over the party's support for the federal government's industrial relations bill, formally endorsed Ms Gilroy on Tuesday morning.
His endorsement is likely to give the Shooters a boost in the battle for conservative votes across the vast rural electorate.
"I have no idea (how many votes my endorsement is worth) but it would have to be worth a few percent," Mr Bonds, who has campaigned relentlessly to improve the rights of casual mineworkers, said.
"I think people were voting for me because of the issues that I was bringing forward and Sue and the Shooters have given a commitment to address those issues. You would have to think some of those votes would flow in that direction."
Mr Bonds said he would now focus his energy on running for the seat of Hunter in the next federal election, which he almost claimed in the last election.
"I believe (if I ran in the byelection) it would split the vote; a lot of the issues the Shooters are bringing up I would have voted for anyway," he said
"I will focus my attention back on what I was originally setting out to do which was taking the seat of Hunter from Fitzgibbon. That is still my primary focus."
Ms Gilroy welcomed Mr Bond's endorsement.
"I respect Stuart and where he has stood in the past. I have followed his campaigns. It certainly could (help) but the preferences come down to the individual."
The Shooters will also introduce legislation into parliament that will require new mining projects to employ at least 75 per cent of their workforce on a full-time basis.
"We need flexibility and 25 per cent gives us that flexibility," she said.
"From the people that we have talked to and the information we have gained 75 per cent is a figure that we have landed on."
The proposed bill would also result in changes to workers compensation for casual mineworkers by ensuring they are compensated on the same basis as full-time employees.