The National party’s candidate for the marginal northern New South Wales seat of Richmond told worshippers at a Pentecostal church that her “ultimate goal” in politics was to “bring God’s kingdom to the political arena”.
The comments by the endorsed Nationals candidate, Kimberly Hone, have emerged alongside a series of old social media posts described by her opponents as “repulsive”, and include a post with a broken Facebook link from 2017 that says “one way to avoid domestic violence is to marry well”.
Hone’s past Twitter posts include articles that describe transgender surgery as “mutilation”; articles questioning the parenting abilities of lesbian couples; articles that question human-made global heating; and claims in 2014 that “integration has failed”.
Hone appears to have deleted dozens of detailed blogs and videos on these same issues, but some Twitter posts remain online.
On the National party’s website, Hone is described as “the mother of three young girls and a small businesswoman”. The profile does not mention the enterprise she runs with her husband is a “ministry” that advises Christians in business, or her previous work as a chaplain and a church youth leader.
Guardian Australia has spoken to local Nationals members who said they only recently became aware of Hone’s conservative religious views and her past involvement with minor political parties in Queensland, including a period as a state office-bearer of the defunct Family First party. She has also previously supported the rightwing Australian Conservatives.
Historical social media posts show Hone seeking to contact people who were “passionate about making an impact in government” and “taking the political mountain for Jesus”.
A YouTube video of Hone speaking at the Living Waters Pentecostal church in the electorate last year shows her telling worshippers: “I’m so glad that you don’t trust your government any more”.
“I’m so glad that you are worried about the vaccination, that you no longer trust medical science, because you are asking questions about what happens after death,” she said.
“The public are asking these great questions. The harvest is ready. I’m having amazing conversations with people, even in the political arena, who have been working on government places for decades and all of a sudden they don’t like the government. They don’t know what they’re doing there. This is a great place.
“How do we bring God’s kingdom to the political arena? How do we change the mountain, from the inside out, not the outside in.
“The ultimate goal for me is … I want to bring God’s kingdom to the political arena. And I want God’s kingdom to penetrate the political mountain.”
On Wednesday, Hone told Guardian Australia: “My motivation in running for parliament is to represent the best interests of the people of the Richmond electorate, and any suggestion otherwise is absurd.
“There is nothing wrong with being a Christian and running for parliament. I stand by my faith and I ask that be respected, as I respect the beliefs of others.”
Party members say they have written to federal leader Barnaby Joyce to complain that Hone’s anti-government comments reflect poorly on the Nationals, who have been part of the government for nine years.
They also claim Hone’s views are “out of step” with most local branch members and the local community, and that they believe the candidate had not been upfront about her underlying motivations when seeking preselection.
Richmond was once National and Country party heartland – an agricultural area represented by three generations of the Anthony family for more than 50 years. But the seat, which is centred on Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Ballina and the hinterland, has become very socially progressive in recent decades.
The outgoing NSW Liberal MP Catherine Cusack, who lives in the area, this week endorsed the Greens candidate for Richmond, Mandy Nolan. Cusack told the Guardian that Hone’s candidacy is indicative of the way elements of the Christian right had been able to gain a foothold in the National and Liberal parties in recent years.
“These people are a wrecking ball through the Liberal and National parties,” Cusack said.
“They destroy moderates who cross the floor, they destroy trans people, and they do it in the name of God. It’s so destructive. It’s not liberal values, but it’s also not Australian values.
“This would be the last electorate where those sort of views would work.”
The Labor MP Justine Elliot has condemned Hone’s posts as “repulsive” and “deeply offensive”.
Elliot holds the seat by about 4% from the Nationals. But her strongest challenge at the upcoming election could come from Nolan, who is running for the Greens.
Nolan said the region was inclusive and celebrated diversity.
“The people of the northern rivers deserve someone who is guided by science and compassion.”
